Eurovision Song Contest Asia Debuts in Bangkok in 2026 With Ten Countries

The European Broadcasting Union has announced Bangkok as the host city for Eurovision Song Contest Asia, the first-ever multi-country expansion of the Eurovision format into the region, with the Grand Final set for Saturday, 14 November 2026. Broadcasters from ten Asian countries are already confirmed to take part, with more expected to join in the coming months.

The contest is a joint production of the EBU, Voxovation, and S2O Productions, with Thailand's Channel 3 serving as broadcast partner and host broadcaster. Peter Settman, CEO and co-founder of Voxovation, is among the principal figures behind the production.

The launch is timed to the Eurovision Song Contest's 70th anniversary. "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," the official announcement states. "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."

The ten confirmed participating countries and their respective broadcasters are: Bangladesh (NTV), Bhutan (Bhutan Broadcasting Service), Cambodia (TV5 Cambodia), Laos (Vientiane Capital Television, VTE9), Malaysia (Media Prima, TV3), Nepal (Himalaya TV), the Philippines (ABS-CBN), South Korea (ENA, affiliated with SK Telecom and KT Group), Thailand as host (Channel 3), and Vietnam (Vietnam Television, VTV3).

The format follows the original Eurovision model: each national broadcaster will run its own selection process before sending an artist to compete at the live Grand Final in Bangkok, which the press release describes as "packed with lights, sound and unstoppable energy."

The road to this announcement stretches nearly a decade. In March 2016, the EBU first began developing an Asian adaptation with Australian broadcaster SBS and production partner Blink TV, with an inaugural edition planned for 2017. By May of that year, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore had each expressed interest in hosting. Singapore's government put forward $4 million to stage the contest, while Sydney and the state of New South Wales signaled readiness to invest heavily. Gold Coast city council claimed in November 2018 that the first contest would be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from 30 November to 7 December 2019, a window that passed without the contest materializing. By 2021, SBS had shelved the project entirely.

Activity resumed in 2025. Bhutan's Broadcasting Service confirmed in May of that year its intention to participate in a Bangkok-based contest involving 18 countries. By August, BBS had shifted its stated location to Mumbai, India, and began organizing a domestic national selection called Druk Dra. Those conflicting signals stand apart from the current EBU announcement, which names Bangkok as the definitive host city and lists exactly ten confirmed broadcasters.

Australia's status in this new iteration remains unresolved. The country was central to the project's original conception but does not appear among the ten confirmed participants, and no official word has emerged on whether talks with SBS are underway.

The EBU has established a dedicated online hub for the contest and expects to confirm additional participating countries before November.