Eurovision is expanding into Asia, with 11 countries set to compete in the first-ever Eurovision Song Contest Asia this weekend.
But what makes Eurovision Asia different, who's taking part, and, importantly, when can Australians watch?
Eurovision Song Contest Asia is a new regional version of the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing the competition's familiar mix of original songs, elaborate performances and international voting to Asia.
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As in the European competition, participating countries are represented by artists performing original entries, with the winner determined by a combination of jury and public votes.
The event aims to showcase the region's musical and cultural diversity, with performers bringing their own languages, sounds and styles to the international stage.
An Asian version has been in the works since about 2009 and SBS had a hand in trying to launch it around 2017 before shelving it in 2025. The European Broadcasting Union later announced the contest in March.
Why Asia? Eurovision said the idea was "motivated by the region’s diversity, creativity and cultural identity, and grounded in the same spirit that has always defined the contest: united by music".
The first Eurovision Song Contest Asia will take place on Saturday 14 November 2026 at One Bangkok Forum in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thai television personalities Woody Milintachinda and Cindy Bishop will host the inaugural grand final, with entertainer Courtney Act joining the coverage as commentator.
For Australian viewers, the time difference means the live broadcast will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Australians can stream the live grand final on SBS On Demand from 12.30am (AEDT) on Sunday 15 November.
Eleven countries will compete in the first edition: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
Here are the representatives of each country:
The voting system will be familiar to Eurovision fans.
Professional juries and the public will each account for 50 per cent of the result.
Eleven national juries will award points, while international viewers can vote for their favourite performances.
As with the European contest, viewers cannot vote for their own country.
