Countries outside Eurovision: Who never participated and why
Eurovision Song Contest (photo: Getty Images)
The Eurovision Song Contest annually brings together dozens of countries and is rightfully considered one of the largest music events in the world.
Despite its popularity and scale, not all countries are able to take part in the competition. Which countries have never performed on the Eurovision stage, and why is explained by RBC-Ukraine.
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Broadcasting standards
To understand why not all countries participate in Eurovision, it is important to know the main requirements for participation. Only those countries whose national broadcasters are members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the official organizer of the contest, are eligible to take part. Because of this, many countries are automatically excluded from the list of participants.
In practice, this means that a large number of countries in Africa and Asia are not eligible to compete because their broadcasters are not members of the EBU. Many people are not aware, but this list includes countries such as China and India.
Eurovision stage (photo: Getty Images)
Today, it is possible to identify the largest countries and groups of states that have never participated in the contest, namely:
Asia:
- China
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Japan (has not participated as a contestant)
It should be noted that Japan (like China) broadcasts the contest and is an “associate member” of the EBU, but this is not enough for full participation.
Middle East:
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Oman
- Yemen
Africa:
No African country is a permanent participant, although Tunisia applied in 1977, and Morocco took part once in Eurovision in 1980.
Americas and Oceania:
- USA
- Canada
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Most countries in Latin America
Geographical exceptions
Exceptions do exist. These include countries that are not geographically part of Europe but still take part in Eurovision. The most famous example is Australia. However, it received a special invitation, as the contest is very popular among Australian viewers.
That is why the country was allowed to participate, and it has already appeared on the Eurovision stage several times, even achieving quite strong results.
Microphone of the Eurovision Song Contest (photo: eurovision.tv)
Can participate, but choose not to
A separate category includes countries that could formally appear on the Eurovision stage, but for various reasons do not take part. In most cases, this is due to political, financial, or cultural limitations.
For example, Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar do not participate due to the specifics of their media environment and cultural norms, which are not always compatible with the format of the contest.
There are also other cases where countries are simply not interested in competing or are not ready to spend significant funds on participation. In such situations, the decision remains with the national broadcasters, which may choose not to submit an application even if they have the opportunity.
In conclusion, it is important to note that the absence of participation in Eurovision does not always mean a lack of interest. More often, it is a matter of formal requirements, finances, or politics. And despite the gradual expansion of the contest’s geographical reach, dozens of countries remain outside of it today.
