Later this November the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand. Now the organisers behind the addition to the Eurovision family of events has released the first timetable for the planned Asian national selections.
Calendar of national finals for Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026
As Thailand prepares for its hosting of the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026, the organisers have confirmed an early timetable for the various national selections of the participating broadcasters announced so far. All of the shows will be available on the broadcaster’s own websites as well as on the official Eurovision YouTube channel. There will also be Rest of the World voting for international viewers to get involved in the selections. The schedule for your calendars is as follows:
- Tuesday 11 August:Rhythm of Bhutan 🇧🇹
- Sunday 30 August:Philippine Selection Night 🇵🇭
- Friday 04 September:Korea’s Next Wave 🇰🇷
- Saturday 19 September:Nepal Decides 🇳🇵
- Wednesday 23/Thursday 24 September:Sieng Lao: The One 🇱🇦
- Sunday 27 September:Thailand’s Chosen One 🇹🇭
- Wednesday 30 September:Voice of Bangladesh 🇧🇩
Further to this, Malaysia will announce their internally selected act during AJL : Anugerah Juara Lagu on August 15. Meanwhile Cambodia is expected to hold its national selection Cambodia’s Finest Voice in September.
Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026
Taking up the hosting honours for the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 is Thailand and its broadcaster Channel 3. The venue of choice is IdeaLive in Bangkok. This entertainment space is Bangkok’s newest venue in BRAVO BKK. It has a capacity of over 4,000 seated guests. So far ten broadcasters have declared interest in participation:
- Thailand – Channel 3 – (Host)
- South Korea – ENA (SK Telecom / KT Group)
- Malaysia – Media Prima (TV3)
- Philippines – ABS-CBN
- Vietnam – Vietnam Television (VTV3)
- Cambodia – TV5 Cambodia
- Laos – Vientiane Capital Television (VTE9)
- Bangladesh – NTV
- Bhutan – Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS)
- Nepal – Himalaya TV
Each entry submitted will follow the example of Eurovision itself. No more than six performers on stage and the song must not be longer than three minutes. Later in November, the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will be chosen using Eurovision’s 50% jury and 50% public voting method. The one-off Grand Final will be aired live on the official Eurovision YouTube Channel, with televised broadcasts within the competing nations. International broadcasters may also choose to buy broadcast rights within their programming schedule.
Similarly to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest format, the winning broadcaster is not automatically forced to host the following edition. Instead a bidding process will take place after the 2026 contest concludes to decide who will host the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2027.
Stay tuned with more announcements on participants expected in the coming weeks and months!
Are you looking forward to the Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026? Let us know! Keep track of the latest news by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra.bsky.social on Bluesky, @escxtra on Instagram, @escxtra on TikTok, subscribing to YouTube and liking our Facebook page! Also, follow us on Spotify for the latest music from your favourite Eurovision acts.
