Khabar Agency's Eurovision membership bid rejected by EBU

The Khabar Agency, Kazakhstan’s national broadcaster, has applied for full membership in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in an effort to participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest.

However, the EBU has rejected the request, stating that Khabar Agency does not meet the necessary criteria for full membership. According to EBU statutes, full membership is reserved for broadcasting organizations from countries within the ITU European Broadcasting Area, members of the Council of Europe, or countries holding formal observer status with the Council of Europe.

Kazakhstan has been an EBU associate member since 2016 and has participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest five times between 2018 and 2022. While the full membership bid was unsuccessful, the EBU noted that the country could still potentially participate as a special guest or as an associate member. Previous attempts to join the adult competition have been hindered by budgetary constraints and logistical challenges.