In a historic expansion of the world’s most prestigious musical competition, the Eurovision Song Contest is officially heading to Asia. The inaugural "Eurovision Asia Song Contest 2026" is set to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, marking the first time the franchise has established a dedicated Asian edition since the original European contest began in 1956.
According to details released on Tuesday, the Grand Finale will be held at the Idealive Arena in Bangkok on November 14, 2026. The event represents a new chapter for the global live music brand, aiming to showcase the cultural diversity and creative talent of the Asian continent to a massive international audience.
The first edition will feature at least 10 countries, with Nepal confirmed as a participant alongside South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. Organizers have indicated that more countries may be added to the lineup in the coming months.
Himalaya TV has secured the rights as the official broadcasting partner for Nepal. The network will be responsible for organizing the national auditions and broadcasting the selection process to identify the artist who will represent the country on the international stage.
Shyam Kandel, Executive Director of Himalaya TV, announced that the search for Nepal’s representative will begin as early as next week. The national selection process is scheduled to conclude on September 19, 2026, where a winner will be crowned. The chosen artist or group will then travel to Bangkok to perform their original song with a live band at the Grand Finale.
Staying true to the original Eurovision format, the Asian edition will focus on original, previously unreleased songs. Each participating country will present a unique performance, and the winner will be determined through a combination of jury scores and viewer voting from all participating nations.
The organizers believe that Eurovision Asia will tap into a market representing over 600 million people, utilizing digital platforms to encourage pan-Asian interaction. Bangkok was selected as the host city due to its reputation as a hub where tradition meets modernity, making it an ideal venue for a large-scale international cultural event.
This project is intended to be a long-term annual fixture, providing a recurring platform for Asian artists to achieve global recognition and elevating the region’s music industry to new heights.
Written by Manios Themis
Themis Manios is the founder of escasia.news and song contest analyst. He has a Computer Science background and years of experience documenting international musical competitions including Eurovision's 70-year legacy. He provides a specialized perspective on the intersection of pop culture and regional identity. Through his dedicated coverage, he tracks the evolution of the contest format as it expands toward the historic Bangkok 2026 stage.
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