Bangkok to Host First-Ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia in 2026.

• EBU launches first-ever multi-country expansion with Eurovision Song Contest Asia in 2026
• Bangkok confirmed as Host City, with Grand Final set for Saturday 14 November 2026
• 10 countries already confirmed, including South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam – with more to follow
• Reaching a potential audience of 600+ million people across the region
• Built on Eurovision’s 70-year legacy, bringing its “United by Music” ethos to Asia

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Voxovation together with S2O Productions and Thailand’s Channel 3 are excited to announce that Eurovision Song Contest Asia will debut in 2026, with Bangkok selected as the Host City for its inaugural edition.

Broadcasters from 10 countries across Asia are confirmed to take part with more to be announced in the coming months, each bringing their own voice, identity and storytelling to the stage.

The very first multinational expansion of the Eurovision Song Contest will feature artists and songs from South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam alongside Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos, as well as Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan, with further countries expected to join as the competition expands.

The Grand Final of Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will take place in Thailand’s capital Bangkok on Saturday 14 November 2026 with each participating broadcaster choosing its entries via national finals in the months leading up to the event.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EUROVISION IN ASIA. On the 70th anniversary of the world’s largest live music event, the Eurovision Song Contest is now opening a new chapter in Asia shaped by the region’s diversity, creativity and cultural identity, and grounded in the same spirit that has always defined the Contest: United by Music.

For seven decades, the Eurovision Song Contest has brought countries together through music, storytelling and live television, reaching audiences of hundreds of millions every year.

Now, in collaboration with leading broadcasters and production companies across Asia, Eurovision Song Contest Asia will build on that legacy, creating a new shared stage where cultures meet, voices are amplified, and creative communities connect across borders.

Designed to grow with the region, the format brings together countries representing more than 600 million people. With no comparable pan-Asian platform today, it is set to become one of the region’s most talked-about entertainment events.

Rooted in the same spirit that has defined Eurovision for generations, the Contest carries forward a simple but powerful idea, connecting people through music and shared experiences. In Asia, that idea will take on new meaning, shaped by the region’s extraordinary diversity and creative energy.

“EVOLVING EUROVISION WITH ASIA”. Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, said: “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent. This is about evolving Eurovision together with Asia, building something that reflects the voices, identities and ambitions of the region, while staying true to what has always made the Contest special. Eurovision Song Contest Asia will be shaped by the artists, broadcasters and audiences who make it their own, continuing our shared journey of being United by Music.”

“A SHOW THAT TRULY REFLECTS ASIA’S IDENTITY”. Peter Settman, CEO & Co-Founder of Voxovation, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to build the Eurovision Song Contest Asia together with the region’s best creative talent, creating a show that truly reflects Asia’s identity and creative energy. Together with S2O Productions, we are shaping a show where artists and fans connect across borders in new ways, through participation, community and deeper engagement beyond the stage, with ZOOP helping bring that fan experience to life. I grew up watching Eurovision, singing in front of the TV, dancing to the winners at the disco and now seeing my own kids just as excited, predicting the outcome. To bring this incredible show to a new continent is something very special.”

PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY AND INTERACTION. The Contest’s exclusive social partner ZOOP will place the audience at the centre of the action, driving participation, community and interaction, with cutting edge technology behind the experience.

ZOOP will introduce a fan participation platform where audiences do more than watch. ZOOP gives fans new ways to engage with artists, join communities, and be recognised and rewarded for real participation, while helping create a more direct and meaningful connection between talent and audience.

BANGKOK: WHERE TRADITION MEETS TOMORROW. Host City Bangkok is a place where tradition and modern expression coexist seamlessly, it offers a natural home for a contest built on diversity and exchange, connecting artists and audiences from across the region and beyond.

Hosting Eurovision Song Contest Asia is expected to generate strong international visibility for Bangkok, while supporting tourism, job creation and the continued growth of Thailand’s creative industries.

THAILAND WELCOMES THE REGION AND THE WORLD. Eurovision Song Contest Asia will provide a powerful platform for artists to share their music, stories and identities with audiences across the region and globally, strengthening cultural exchange between Asia and Europe.

The event further reinforces Thailand’s position as a destination for world-class cultural and entertainment experiences.

Chuwit Sirivajjakul, Deputy Governor for Policy and Planning, at the Thailand Tourism Authority said: “When I heard that the European Broadcasting Union and Voxovation were considering Bangkok as the home for the Eurovision Song Contest Asia, I thought, of course, it should be Bangkok, because this city has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life. It is a place where tradition and innovation do not compete. They collaborate. That is the spirit of Eurovision, which celebrates the unity of diverse musical voices from across Asia and beyond. We believe travel is in the moments that restore you, inspire you, and connect you to something larger than yourself. Eurovision Song Contest Asia embodies exactly that, and we are proud to welcome it home, marking a new chapter for Thailand’s global presence.”

PARTICIPATING BROADCASTERS AND COUNTRIES. The inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia will bring together broadcasters from across the region, each representing their country with original music and national talent.

The confirmed Participating broadcasters are:

Additional countries and broadcasters are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as the line-up continues to expand.

Be part of the journey and follow Eurovision Song Contest Asia at www.eurovisionasia.com

About the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media, representing over 110 member organizations in more than 50 countries, with an additional 30+ associates worldwide. The EBU operates Eurovision, the premier global media exchange network, and produces the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the world’s most watched live entertainment events, reaching hundreds of millions of viewers annually. Through its work, the EBU supports collaboration, innovation and the sharing of high-quality content across borders.

About Voxovation. Voxovation is a global entertainment company focused on developing, producing and scaling large-format television and live events. Founded by industry leaders with extensive experience in international entertainment formats, Voxovation specializes in bringing globally recognized IP to new markets and building original formats that connect audiences across cultures. The company is the exclusive licensee of Eurovision Song Contest Asia and is leading its development, production and commercialization across the region.

About S20 Productions. S20 Productions is a Thailand-based live entertainment and production company known for delivering large-scale events and premium experiences across Asia. With deep expertise in event production, staging and audience engagement, S20 has built a strong reputation for executing complex, high-impact productions in the region. As a production partner for Eurovision Song Contest Asia, S20 will support the delivery of world-class live experiences in Bangkok.

About ZOOP. ZOOP is a next-generation social platform designed to connect creators, fans and communities through interactive digital experiences. As the exclusive social partner of Eurovision Song Contest Asia, ZOOP powers fan engagement across the platform, enabling participation, content interaction and community-driven experiences at scale. Built on Hedera technology, ZOOP delivers secure, transparent and scalable infrastructure for digital engagement, bringing audiences closer to the action than ever before.

Eurovision Song Contest Asia will debut in 2026. The Thai capital of Bangkok will host the inaugural edition in November. The Eurovision Song Contest is heading East! The EBU has launched the Contest’s first-ever multi-country expansion, with the Eurovision Song Contest Asia arriving in 2026.

Bangkok has been given the honour of being Host City for the first edition of the Contest, with the glittering Grand Final set to take place on Saturday 14 November. Broadcasters from ten countries across Asia are already confirmed to be taking part with more to be announced in the coming months, each bringing their own voice, identity and storytelling to the stage.

On the 70th anniversary of the world’s largest live music event, the Eurovision Song Contest is now opening a new chapter in Asia shaped by the region’s diversity, creativity and cultural identity, and grounded in the same spirit that has always defined the Contest: United by Music.

Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 lineup:

In the coming months, each participating broadcaster will be choosing its entries via national finals, as is common in the run-up to the Eurovision Song Contest, too.

Thailand’s Channel 3 will be the Host Broadcaster, welcoming all participants to the capital city Bangkok on Saturday 14 November. Channel 3 will be organising the event alongside the EBU and Voxovation, together with S2O Productions.A

new shared stage connecting creative communities. Host City Bangkok, a place where tradition and modern expression coexist seamlessly, offers a natural first home for a Contest built on diversity and exchange. Here, a new shared stage will be created, where cultures meet, voices are amplified and creative communities connect across borders.

Designed to grow with the region, Eurovision Song Contest Asia will bring together countries representing more than 600 million people. With no comparable pan-Asian platform today, it is set to become one of the region’s most talked-about entertainment events.

Rooted in the same spirit that has defined Eurovision for generations, the Contest carries forward a simple but powerful idea, connecting people through music and shared experiences. In Asia, that idea will take on new meaning, shaped by the region’s extraordinary diversity and creative energy.

Opening a new chapter with Asia. Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest at the EBU, says about the announcement: “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent. This is about evolving Eurovision together with Asia, building something that reflects the voices, identities and ambitions of the region, while staying true to what has always made the Contest special. Eurovision Song Contest Asia will be shaped by the artists, broadcasters and audiences who make it their own, continuing our shared journey of being United by Music.”

Eurovision Asia Nearly Twenty Years in the Making. The Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place this November, but it’s been a nearly twenty-year journey to get to this point. Take a look back at the journey from 2008 to now.

First Steps into Asia. Since the mid-2000s, the European Broadcasting Union has been looking to expand the Eurovision Song Contest format across the globe. From discussions about American and Canadian formats in 2006. Following a Middle East format, the Asian version of the contest was the second to be formally announced in September 2008. The contest was to be called the “Asiavision Song Contest”, with 15 countries competing.

The competition was forced to change the name from the Asiavision Song Contest to “Our Sound – The Asia Pacific Song Contest” following opposition from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union which use the name “Asiavision” for their news service. On March 4, 2009, the contest was formally launched with the event to be held in the second half of 2009.

The grand final was scheduled for November 2009 and unlike the Eurovision Song Contest, was to be spread over a weekend. The countries would all perform on Friday night, allowing audiences to see all the acts. The results would then be announced on Saturday night in the “Winner’s Show”.

The winner of the contest would be decided by the public, with the audience voting between Friday night and Saturday night via SMS and online. The results would then be announced by national spokespersons on Saturday night, revealing the winner of “Our Sound – The Asia Pacific Song Contest”.

However, early on the contest experienced issues getting off the ground. The initial contest was delayed from November 2009 to March 2010, it was announced that the contest would be held in Macau. The number of competing countries was also subsequently cut from 15 to 13 countries with Japan and South Korea pulling out of the contest. Going forward to compete in Macau were:

•  Australia
•  Bangladesh
•  Cambodia
•  China
•  Hong Kong
•  India
•  Indonesia
•  Malaysia
•  Philippines
•  Singapore
•  Taiwan
•  Thailand
•  Vietnam

Selections started to be held for the competition, with the Philippines’ search starting in November 2009 and Cambodia starting a show in December 2009. The format also changed, with the songs now being performed on Friday night and voting being announced on Sunday. Voting also now allowed for the viewer to vote for their own country.

By March 2010, the contest was delayed for a second time, with the contest now scheduled for November 26-28 in Mumbai at the Andheri Sports Center. At this point, Phorn Nida had been selected to represent Cambodia, while New Zealand was added to the list of participating countries. By July, Australia started its selection, but this would be the last activity related to the contest.

In September 2010, another delay was announced, and in 2011 the contest was postponed due to issues between the organisers of Our Sound and the European Broadcasting Union. By this point, the format was the fourth to be cancelled after being announced by the EBU in the past three years. Read the full Our Sound – The Asia Pacific Song Contest history here.

Eurovision Asia Gets Australian Backing. In the following five years, an Asian version of the contest would be brought up in speculative conversations alongside the idea of a World Song Contest. But it wouldn’t be until Australia was invited as part of the Eurovision Song Contest’s 60th anniversary that interest in an Asian spin-off would spark discussions again.

In March 2016, the EBU and SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) of Australia signed a deal to establish the Asian version of the Eurovision Song Contest starting in 2017. The deal gave the channel the exclusive rights to create the contest in Asia, which would be open to around 20 countries. The first event was to be held in Australia during 2017 and after that would move around Asia.

One year on and preparations for the contest were ongoing. In an interview with ESC Insight in March 2017, Paul Clarke, the then Head of the Eurovision Asia Song Contest, revealed that three cities across Asia were interested in hosting the first contest: Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney. Discussions were taking place with each city to determine the support that could be provided. At that point, four countries had shown an interest in competing:

•  Australia (Confirmed)
•  China (Possible Steering Group Member)
•  Japan (Possible Steering Group Member)
•  South Korea (Possible Steering Group Member)

Over the following months, broadcasters from New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Maldives, and Kazakhstan all expressed an interest in competing in the contest. In January 2018, the Ministry of Information and Communications in Kazakhstan reported that the first edition of the Eurovision Asia Song Contest would be held in October 2018.

In the autumn of 2018, it was reported in the Australian press that the Gold Coast was in discussions regarding hosting the competition. The contest was provisionally scheduled for between November 30 to December 7, 2019. A total of 16 countries are reported to take part in the inaugural edition of the competition. A 9News report added that discussions were underway with broadcasters from China, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UAE. Turkey would also go on to be announced as competing.

Cancellation of the Australian Backed Project. In May 2021, SBS formally confirmed that it was no longer pursuing plans to create Eurovision Asia. The broadcaster had spent five years promoting the format and working with various broadcasters across the continent before returning the rights to the European Broadcasting Union. The Commissioning Editor of SBS, Josh Martin told TV Tonight that: “Eurovision Asia is difficult for a number of reasons: timezones, language barriers, all sorts of issues. We tried so hard but that was one that we just could never quite pin down. It’s kind of like any TV show. You put a lot of things into development, and not all of them get up. So that was one that we could not, for whatever reason, make work.”

Following the cancellation, there would be little news regarding the contest over the next couple of years. In March 2023, there was a flurry of speculation that the contest could be returning after EurovisionAsia.tv, the then official website for the Eurovision Asia Song Contest was updated for the first time since 2017. Voxovation, which has the rights to Eurovision contests internationally, listed Asia as a potential area for the format.

Bhutan Jumps the Gun. In August 2025, the Bhutanese broadcaster BBS held ‘Druk Dra’, a national song contest to select their entry for the Eurovision Asia Song Contest. The selection out of nowhere brought intense speculation about Eurovision Asia finally happening. The selection made it to the semi-final stage before it was pulled from the listings.

Retrospectively, it was found that BBS had publicly confirmed its participation in the contest in May 2025, stating that the contest would be held in Bangkok with 18 countries competing. By the time of the selection airing, BBS stated the contest would be held in Mumbai, India. Fans also found at the same time that HTV in Vietnam was airing a TV show titled ‘Eurovision Asia’.

On August 28, three days after the Bhutanese selection was discovered by fans, speaking to The Euro Trip, Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, confirmed that the European Broadcasting Union has no plans confirmed for a Eurovision Asia Song Contest. In a statement, he explained: “Earlier this week a broadcaster in Bhutan broadcast a selection show for Eurovision Song Contest Asia. Our format rights holders in Asia have spoken to them and the episodes have now been taken off air and deleted from online platforms. While it is no secret that we would love to see an edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Asia, no plans have been confirmed or announced to date.”

Over the coming months, there would be small hints of work ongoing on the development of the contest.

We’re Off to Bangkok. Today, March 31, 2026, the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 was formally announced, with ten countries announced as competing in the first edition of the competition on November 14 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ten years after first being announced as in the planning, the Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place this November in the Thai capital. A total of 10 countries have been announced to date as competing in this first edition of Eurovision Asia, with the final to be held on November 14. The competition is the first multinational spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest, and comes as the Eurovision Song Contest marks 70 years since its first edition.

The Eurovision Song Contest & Asia. With the announcement of the Eurovision Asia Song Contest 2026, take a look back at a decades long relationship between Asia and the Eurovision Song Contest.

Asia’s relationship with the Eurovision Song Contest stretches back over 50 years to the first time it was broadcast in Asia back in 1971. Over the decades, it has been seen on screens across the continent, with countries located geographically in Asia competing on the Eurovision stage. The success of Eurovision has sparked the creation of a number of contests in Asia, with the EBU even trying to launch a spin off nearly twenty years ago.

Watching the Contest. Eurovision 1971 is the first year that the Eurovision Song Contest was aired in Asia, with the contest in Dublin, reported to have been broadcast live to viewers in Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Thailand. This was just the start of the contest being aired across the continent. From there, thirteen countries have gone on to air the contest from the 1970s to date:

•  Afghanistan – 1971
•  China – 1990, 2011 to 2018
•  Hong Kong – 1971 to 1972, 1975 to 1981 and 1983
•  Japan – 1972 to 1978, 1989 to 1990 and 2000
•  Jordan – 1974 to 1978, 1980 to 1984, 1986 to 1988 and 1995 to 1997
•  Kazakhstan – 2010 to 2021
•  Kyrgyzstan – 2012
•  Malaysia – 1985
•  Philippines – 1972
•  South Korea – 1974 to 1975, 1980 to 1981, 1985 to 1992 and 1994
•  Taiwan – 1972
•  Thailand – 1971 to 1972
•  United Arab Emirates – 1978 and 1980 to 1981

Taking to the Eurovision Stage. Countries geographically located in Asia have competed in the Eurovision Song Contest thanks to the rules that define who can compete. Broadcasters can compete either if they fall within the European Broadcasting Area (“EBA”) or are members of the Council of Europe, or are directly invited to compete in the contest like Australia.

Since 1973, eight countries geographically located in Asia have competed in Eurovision contests:

•  Armenia – Has competed in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2006
•  Azerbaijan – Was the last country located in Asia to debut in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 2008
•  Cyprus – Competed in the competition since 1981
•  Georgia – Made its debut in the contest in 2007
•  Israel – Competed in the Eurovision Song Contest since 1973
•  Kazakhstan – Competed in Junior Eurovision between 2018 and 2022. It is currently trying to debut in the Eurovision Song Contest.
•  Russia – Competed between 1994 and 2021, but since 2022 has been expelled from the European Broadcasting Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
•  Turkey – Competed in the Eurovision Song Contest between 1975 and 2012

Lebanon also attempted to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, having selected an entry for the contest in Kyiv. Due to legislation prohibiting Israeli content from being broadcast on television in Lebanon, Télé Liban was forced to withdraw from the contest. As a result of the withdrawal three months after the deadline, the EBU served the broadcaster a ban from the contest for three years.

Palestine is currently ineligible to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, but in 2007 it launched a bid to compete in the contest.

Qatar showed an interest in the Eurovision Song Contest with reports that the country was aiming to compete in the contest by 2011.

Eurovision Inspired Contests in Asia. The success of the Eurovision Song Contest inspired the creation of a number of contests since the late 1970s, which saw Asian countries compete in international song contests.

The Pacific Song Contest was an international song contest held between 1978 and 1980. The contest was based on the Eurovision Song Contest, with participants from countries around the Pacific Rim. Across three editions, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea would all compete, with Japan winning the first contest in 1979.

In the mid 1980s, the Asian equivalent of the European Broadcasting Union created its first song contest between its members. The ABU Popular Song Contest was held between 1985 and 1987, with 15 countries competing in the contest. South Korea, New Zealand and Australia each won the contest. The countries that took the contest stage were: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey. 

After cancelling the ABU Popular Song Contest in 1988, the ABU would again organise a new contest, the ABU Golden Kite World Song Festival as a co-production with TV3 Malaysia, who are also set to compete in the Eurovision Asia Song Contest 2026. Three editions would be held between 1989 and 1991, with nineteen countries competing, including the European nations of Finland and Yugoslavia.

In 2011, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union announced they would organise their own version of the Eurovision Song Contest. The show would go on to be a non-competitive showcase of music from across the Asia-Pacific region. The ABU TV Song Festival has been held annually since 2012, with thirty countries and twenty-nine broadcasters having taken part in the event since. Now called the ABU Song Festival, it is tied to the ABU General Assembly, it sees around 10 countries participate each year.

Eurovision’s Steps into Asia. The Eurovision Song Contest Asia has been nearly twenty years in the making, from the European Broadcasting Union’s first announcement of an Asian contest in 2008, it’s been a long and bumpy road to get to the stage in Bangkok.