Eurovision heads to Asia with Bangkok as inaugural host
The Eurovision Song Contest is set to launch its first Asia edition in 2026, with Bangkok confirmed as host city for a landmark expansion aimed at tapping the region’s fast-growing music market.
The inaugural grand final is scheduled for November 14, marking the first time the 70-year-old competition will stage a multi-country contest outside Europe.
Ten countries have confirmed participation, including the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, alongside Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Nepal. More countries may join in the coming months, organisers said.
As part of the process, each participating country will hold its own national selection to choose an entry before the Bangkok final,
This move coincides with Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, which organisers say provided a natural inflection point for expansion.
Martin Green, director of the contest at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), described Asia as “rich in culture, creativity and talent,” adding that the timing was “especially meaningful” for opening a new chapter.
Celebration of pop music
The Asia edition will follow the core format of the original contest, where performers present original songs and are judged by a mix of expert panels and public voting. While final rules are yet to be confirmed, organisers said the event would be “a celebration of original pop music” where “every vote will count.”
The expansion reflects growing commercial and cultural interest in Asia’s music industry, driven by rising incomes, social media reach and the globalisation of regional genres such as K-pop and Thailand’s T-Wind.
Bangkok was selected as host city partly for its position as a regional cultural hub. Thai tourism official Chuwit Sirivajjakul said the capital “has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life.”
Notably absent from the initial line-up are major markets such as China, Japan and India, though organisers have indicated that participation remains open.
The Asia launch follows previous attempts to expand the Eurovision format beyond Europe, including the American Song Contest in 2022, which was not renewed after one season.
With more than 600 million people represented by the initial participating countries, organisers are positioning Eurovision Asia as a potential flagship platform for cross-border pop music in the region.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
