It has been confirmed that the Eurovision Song Contest is launching its first ever Asia edition.
READ MORE: Eurovision 2024 – fans and boycotters speak: “This is bigger than the contest”
So far, it has been confirmed that broadcasters from 10 countries in Asia will be taking part, including the Philippines and South Korea. They will host their own national selections, and a glitzy grande finale is set for November 14 in Bangkok.
The new edition comes as Eurovision launched back in 1956, and is celebrating its 70th edition this year – having become the world’s longest running international music competition.
At time of writing, the 10 nations taking part in the first ever Asia edition are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. According to the official website, there are “more to follow” soon.
It is unclear if the same rules in the Europe edition will apply to the Asia version – with the rulebook stating that songs performed must be original and lead vocals must be sung live. It also isn’t yet clear if the show will follow the same fan-vote structure as seen in the original Eurovision.
Larger nations like India, China and Japan have not yet been confirmed as taking part.
The official promotional trailer for #Eurovision Asia Song Contest 2026 has been released. pic.twitter.com/Irh9uM5VpD
— Eurovision Asia Updates (@esc_asia) March 31, 2026
This isn’t the first time that a spin-off of Eurovision has been introduced in another part of the world. Back in 2022 there was a United States edition that launched, which saw all 50 states compete. It was hosted by Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg, but axed after one season due to poor viewerships.
Plans for Eurovision Asia date back to 2016, when it was reported to be going ahead and co-produced with the Australian broadcaster SBS. After various delays, SBS dropped plans for the contest in 2021 – five years after it was announced.
Now it has got the go-ahead for 2026, the European Broadcasting Union shared a statement from Chuwit Sirivajjakul, a senior official at the Thailand Tourism Authority, which backed the decision to hold the grande finale in Bangkok.
“This city has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life,” he said (as per BBC News).
More details about Eurovision Asia are expected to be shared soon, as are more countries taking part. It will be organised by the EBU alongside LA-based Voxovation and Thailand-based S2O Productions.
NEW The Eurovision Song Contest ASIA has officially been announced.
The inaugural contest will be hosted by Thailand, in Bangkok, with a grand final on November 14th, 2026.
It will be known as #Eurovision Asia, under the Eurovision brand, and not Asiavision.… pic.twitter.com/QUCXJGnfMv
— sᴜᴘᴇʀ ᴛᴠ (@superTV247) March 31, 2026
As for the original version of Eurovision, the UK recently unveiled its entry for the 2024 contest. YouTuber, electronic musician and tech creator Look Mum No Computer will be representing the country with ‘Eins Zwei Drei’.
There continues to be controversy surrounding the competition too, and multiple countries have pulled out in opposition to Israel being allowed to compete this year. These include Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Iceland.
Late last year, Portugal’s participation in the competition was put at risk as 11 of the 16 entrants in their song selection contest refused to represent them if they won.
Winner of the 2024 contest, Nemo, also returned their trophy to the headquarters of the EBU over “Israel’s continued participation”.
Eurovision director Martin Green addressed the situation in a statement, saying that “the Eurovision Song Contest continues to be a place where friendships are forged, languages are learned and new genres and artists are discovered”. He concluded: “In a challenging world we can indeed be United by Music.”
The post Eurovision Song Contest confirms launch of first ever Asia edition appeared first on NME.
