Which Countries Are in Eurovision Asia 2026?

Eleven countries compete in the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia, in Bangkok on Saturday 14 November 2026: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Thailand is the host. Japan and China are not in it; the executive producer says talks with both ran past the deadline. Australia and Israel are not in it either, because they compete in the European contest, and no broadcaster from India, Indonesia or Singapore has signed up. Below is the full field, a straight answer for each country people ask about, and how an idea first floated in 2008 ended up with these eleven.

Key takeaways

• Eleven countries: ten announced on 31 March 2026, plus Mongolia in August. All eleven go straight into one Grand Final; there is no semi-final.
• Who is missing: Japan and China (talks ran past the production deadline), Australia and Israel (both in the main Eurovision), and India, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Pakistan, where no broadcaster has been announced.
• Is Asia in Eurovision? Two answers. Eurovision Asia is its own contest. Separately, countries partly or wholly in Asia already compete in the European one: Israel, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and Georgia all entered in 2026, and Australia has competed since 2015.
• Who can enter: broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region, public or commercial. The contest is run commercially by Voxovation under licence from the EBU.
• 2027: the producer is “very, very optimistic” about China and Japan; nothing about a second edition has been announced.

What’s on this page

The eleven · Is Asia in Eurovision? · Is your country in it? · Who can enter · How the field came together · 2027 · Who is favourite · FAQ · Sources

The eleven countries in Eurovision Asia 2026

In running order, with the broadcaster that entered each country, the act and the song, and where and when each country watches at home:

The organisers confirmed the eleven on 11 September 2026. Each country has its own page with the act’s profile, the song and the live prices: start with the Eurovision Asia hub. Every song’s official video is in our guide to all eleven songs.

Is Asia in Eurovision 2026?

People ask this two ways, and both have an answer.

Does Asia have its own Eurovision? Yes, from this year. The Eurovision Song Contest Asia is a separate contest using the Eurovision format: the same three-minute songs, up to six people on stage, and a mix of jury and public votes. The first Grand Final is on 14 November 2026 at the One Bangkok Forum, produced by S2O Productions with Channel 3 as host broadcaster.

Are Asian countries in the main Eurovision? Some always have been. The European Broadcasting Union’s membership follows broadcasting, not continents, so countries partly or wholly in Asia compete in May: Israel, Cyprus, Azerbaijan and Georgia were all in the 2026 contest in Vienna. Australia, invited in 2015, competes too. Turkey has not taken part since 2012. Our Eurovision 2026 results page has how each of them did.

Is your country in Eurovision Asia?

Google is full of these questions, so here are the answers, country by country, as of 12 November 2026:

• Japan: no. Executive Producer Assaf Blecher told the Guardian on 7 November that talks with a Japanese broadcaster ran past the production deadline for adding countries. He expects Japan in 2027. More in our piece on China, Japan and 2027.
• China: no, for the same reason. Neither the Chinese nor the Japanese broadcaster has been named, and neither has said anything publicly.
• South Korea: yes. ENA entered JUNHEE with “Deep Dive”. Korea is the one big music market in the field.
• India: no. No Indian broadcaster has been announced. India was on the list for the never-held 2009 attempt, and in August 2025 Bhutan’s broadcaster said the contest would be in Mumbai. It was not.
• Indonesia: no. No Indonesian broadcaster has been announced.
• Singapore: no. No Singaporean broadcaster has been announced, though Singapore’s government put up S$4 million to host the earlier SBS-era version.
• Hong Kong and Taiwan: no. Both were on the 2009 list; neither is in 2026.
• Pakistan: no. No broadcaster announced.
• Australia: no. SBS shows the final but says “Australia won’t be competing”. Australia is in the main contest. Our Australia guide has the SBS times.
• Israel: no. Israel is in the main contest. In May, Israeli media reported discussions about moving it to Eurovision Asia, which we covered at the time; nothing came of it for 2026. Its broadcaster Kan shows the Bangkok final on Kan 11.
• Mongolia: yes. MNC joined in August as the eleventh country, with Beck.
• Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand: yes. They are four of the eleven, and the Philippines and Malaysia are the two favourites.
• The UK: no. It competes in the main contest. Our UK guide covers the time, why it is not on the BBC, and voting from Britain.

Who can enter Eurovision Asia?

Broadcasters in the Asia-Pacific region, public or commercial. That is the first big difference from the European contest, which is open to EBU member broadcasters, with Australia’s SBS there by invitation. Eurovision Asia is a commercial venture: Voxovation runs it under licence from the EBU, and Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, told a briefing that some of the money flows back to the EBU. “We are in a very commercial part of the world,” he said, as ESC Insight reported.

Wikipedia’s article on the contest says broadcasters that take part in the main contest cannot enter the Asian one, which would explain Australia and Israel. We have not seen that rule in an official document, so treat it as reported rather than confirmed. The name “Eurovision” stayed, despite the field, at the request of the broadcasters taking part.

How the eleven came together

This is the third attempt at an Asian Eurovision, and the first to reach a stage. In 2008 the EBU announced “Our Sound – The Asia Pacific Song Contest”, with sixteen countries and regions lined up, including China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Singapore. It was postponed several times and never held. From 2016 Australia’s SBS developed a version that was due on the Gold Coast in 2019; SBS shelved it in 2021.

The current version was announced on 31 March 2026 with ten countries: South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Mongolia joined in August. Each country then picked its song, mostly through televised national selections from August to October; our selection calendar has how each one did it.

Will more countries join in 2027?

Possibly, but nothing is announced. Blecher told the Guardian he is “very, very optimistic” that China and Japan will take part in 2027, and Martin Green said at the launch that the format is meant to grow. No date, host city or venue for a second edition has been published, and no market prices 2027 participation. A field with Japan and China in it would be a different contest: two more major music markets next to South Korea, and a jury and public vote that would no longer tilt towards Southeast Asia.

Which of the eleven is favourite?

Malaysia. On Polymarket at 03:32 UTC on 12 November 2026, Aina Abdul was 57% to win, the Philippines’ CARMELLE 25%, Vietnam’s Tóc Tiên 8% on a very wide spread, Thailand 5%, Nepal 4.2%, South Korea 3% and Laos 2.4%, with Mongolia, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Cambodia under a cent. Our predictions for all eleven rank them, and the live prices are on each country’s page.

FAQ

How many countries are in Eurovision Asia 2026?

Eleven: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Ten were announced on 31 March 2026 and Mongolia joined in August.

Is Japan in Eurovision Asia?

No. The executive producer, Assaf Blecher, told the Guardian that talks with Japanese and Chinese broadcasters ran past the production deadline, and that he is very optimistic both will take part in 2027.

Is China in Eurovision Asia?

No, for the same reason as Japan: talks with a Chinese broadcaster ran past the deadline for 2026.

Is India in Eurovision Asia?

No. No Indian broadcaster has been announced for Eurovision Asia.

Is Australia in Eurovision Asia?

No. Australia competes in the main Eurovision Song Contest. SBS shows Eurovision Asia in Australia but says Australia will not be competing.

Is Israel in Eurovision Asia?

No. Israel competes in the main Eurovision Song Contest. Israeli media reported in May 2026 that a move to Eurovision Asia had been discussed, but Israel is not in the 2026 field; its broadcaster Kan shows the Bangkok final.

Where is Eurovision Asia 2026 held?

At the One Bangkok Forum in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday 14 November 2026. Thailand’s Channel 3 is the host broadcaster.

Is Eurovision Asia real?

Yes. It is licensed by the European Broadcasting Union and run by Voxovation. The first Grand Final is on 14 November 2026 and streams free on the Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.

Sources

• The eleven countries: eurovisionasia.com, 11 September 2026; broadcasters and local times: eurovisionasia.com/how-to-watch, checked 12 November 2026.
• China and Japan: Assaf Blecher to the Guardian, 7 November 2026, as reported in our 7 November piece.
• Australia: SBS announcement; SBS News.
• Israel: Eurovoix, 11 May 2026.
• History, eligibility and the 2008 and 2016 attempts: Wikipedia, Eurovision Song Contest Asia; launch briefing: ESC Insight, 31 March 2026.
• Eurovision 2026 participants: our Eurovision 2026 results data.
• Prices: Polymarket Gamma API, read 03:32 UTC on 12 November 2026, midpoints between best bid and best offer.

Prices move, and a midpoint on a thin book is not a probability. 18+; prediction markets are not available in every territory.