Were preparations for the first-ever Eurovision Asia already underway without anyone noticing? Reports from several national broadcasters suggest the event is actively taking shape!

Asia is making history! Eurovision Asia was first announced in 2017 by the European Broadcasting Union, modeled as a song contest for Asian nations, similar to Eurovision. The concept attracted attention at first but was shelved in 2021, with plans for the contest dropped—until very recently, when new momentum appeared. How did things change?

For years, the outlook for Eurovision Asia seemed bleak—the project was suspended for several seasons. However, this changed in June, when the national broadcaster of the mountain kingdom Bhutan issued an open call for artists to submit original songs to a national selection for Eurovision Asia. The call stated that Bhutan’s national broadcaster was inviting local artists to submit original songs for a pre-selection contest, with the winner to compete in Bangkok.

Two months later, the selection aired under the title “Druk Da: The Road to Eurovision Asia,” which is now available for viewing on the Bhutanese broadcaster’s channel. The selection host shared several details about Eurovision Asia: she noted that the contest is expected to take place in Mumbai, not Bangkok, and that “Bhutan will compete against 18 different countries from across Asia.”

Rumors suggest the contest will be held in January 2026, sparking great interest among Eurovision fans. Bhutan’s participation—despite being an isolated country, not diplomatically recognized by most states—adds to the intrigue. Other expected participating nations include Vietnam (whose broadcaster “HTV” plans a similar national selection on August 31), host nation India, and Thailand, which was originally slated to host the event.

Eurovision 2026: The 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Vienna, Austria, following the country’s third historic win with the song “Wasted Love” performed by JJ. This will be the third time the contest is hosted in Austria, after 1967 and 2015.