Kazakhstan has been an EBU associate member since 2016.
The country has participated in Junior Eurovision on 5 occasions, between 2018 and 2022.
Based on reports in the local media, ESC KAZ revealed that the national broadcaster, Kahabar Agency applied to get full EBU membership. This would allow the country to participate in Eurovision 2027 if the EBU approves the request.
Shortly after, the EBU released the following statement:
“Khabar Agency is a valued Associate Member of the EBU, and we appreciate its long-standing engagement with the Union. However, under the EBU Statutes, full membership is open to broadcasting organizations from countries either within the ITU European Broadcasting Area, members of the Council of Europe, or – following the Statutes revision approved at this year’s General Assembly – countries holding formal observer status with the Council of Europe. Kazakhstan does not meet any of these criteria, and Khabar Agency therefore does not qualify for full membership at this time.”
It seems that the EBU rejected the request, stating that the country doesn’t satisfy any of the full membership criteria.
However, this doesn’t close the door to participation, as the EBU may still invite them to participate as a special guest or as an associate member.
Kazakhstan has long eyed a spot in the contest. A potential breakthrough seemed close when Khabar Agency’s board chairman attended the EBU General Assembly in London to discuss participation, but Kazakhstan ultimately sat out the 2025 event.
Eurovision 2027 will be held in Bulgaria in May 2027
