Later this November the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 will take place in Bangkok, Thailand. Now Malaysia has become the second nation to announce its artist with Aina Abdul confirmed through an internal selection.
Aina Abdul internally selected for Malaysia
During the recent Anguerah Juara Lagu 40, the entertainment show announced Aina Abdul will represent Malaysia at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026. At 32-years-old Aina has established herself as one of Malaysia’s biggest music stars since the 2010s. Throughout her career, Aina has released three studio albums and received numerous music awards. Back in 2023 Aina competed in the ABU Song Festival with, ‘Terus Hidup’.
More details regarding the song Aina will perform will be released in the coming weeks. In November, the Malaysian broadcaster TV3 will air, ‘Malaysia Memburu Impian‘. This show will be filmed in a first-person perspective, allowing viewers to follow Aina’s journey from selection to the stage in Bangkok.
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 eleven 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
- Mongolia – MNC
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!
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