National Selections. Each country is de facto represented by its respective public broadcaster, and it’s at the broadcaster’s sole discretion to determine who will represent their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. There are three common ways to select a participant for the Eurovision Song Contest:

• Televised National Selection. The broadcaster can select their entry by organising their own ‘mini Eurovision’ earlier in the year. For example, Albania uses their well established Festivali i Këngës to pick a participant, Sweden runs its annual Melodifestivalen, and Portugal utilises Festival da Canção.
• Internal Selection. The broadcaster can invite submissions or approach record labels and individuals, and run the process without public involvement. This method has worked well in recent years for the United Kingdom (Sam Ryder finishing 2nd in 2022), the Netherlands (Duncan Laurence champion in 2019) and Israel (Netta was victor in 2018).
• Mixed Format. The best of both worlds, where, for example, an artist is chosen by the broadcaster, leaving the song choice down to a public vote.

The EBU-UER strongly encourages participating broadcasters to engage the public with the selection of a participant for the Eurovision Song Contest.

La selezione dei partecipanti all’Eurovision Song Contest spetta alle emittenti televisive competenti dei singoli stati. A loro spetta la scelta del metodo di selezione: una selezione interna (quindi cantante e/o brano vengono scelti dall’emittente stessa), come accade solitamente per San Marino o Australia, oppure può organizzare un festival musicale (il pubblico sceglie un vincitore che viene invitato a partecipare all’Eurovision Song Contest), come accade in Norvegia (Norsk Melodi Grand Prix), Svezia (Melodifestivalen), Italia (Festival di Sanremo), Grecia (Ellinikós Telikós) e molti altri. Il vincitore dell’eventuale festival però non è obbligato a partecipare all’Eurovision Song Contest né tanto meno è obbligato ad esibirsi con la canzone vincitrice, ad esempio Iva Zanicchi ha vinto il Festival di Sanremo nel 1969, in coppia con Bobby Solo, con la canzone “Zingara”, ma all’Eurovision Song Contest si presentò da sola con il brano “Due grosse lacrime bianche”. Con il tempo buona parte delle emittenti sta abbandonando la selezione interna in favore del festival musicale.

I partecipanti non devono obbligatoriamente avere vincoli di nazionalità (ad esempio nel 1988 la Svizzera vinse con la cantante canadese Céline Dion) e le canzoni non hanno restrizioni riguardanti la lingua (anche se nelle prime edizioni vigeva un obbligo di cantare in una delle lingue ufficiali del proprio paese).

Processo di Selezione: Le selezioni nazionali per l’Eurovision Song Contest sono dei festival musicali organizzati dalle emittenti televisive dei vari paesi partecipanti per selezionare il rappresentante della nazione al festival canoro europeo. Le emittenti possono anche selezionare internamente i partecipanti. 

After a competitive selection process that saw a number of potential Host Cities narrow down to Basel and Geneva, Switzerland’s third-most-populous city won out, and will host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest.

The bid process examined facilities at the venue, local infrastructure and the ability to accommodate thousands of visiting delegations, crew, fans and journalists from around the world, amongst other criteria.

37 Participants. We’ll have 37 public service broadcasters taking part at Basel 2025.

RTCG of Montenegro return to the competition after last competing in 2022. And 36 of the 37 countries that took part at Malmö 2024 will be participating once again in May 2025.

• 🇦🇱 Albania – RTSH
• 🇦🇲 Armenia – AMPTV
• 🇦🇺 Australia – SBS (*EBU Associate)
• 🇦🇹 Austria – ORF
• 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan – İctimai
• 🇧🇪 Belgium – VRT
• 🇭🇷 Croatia – HRT
• 🇨🇾 Cyprus – CyBC
• 🇨🇿 Czechia – ČT
• 🇩🇰 Denmark – DR
• 🇪🇪 Estonia – ERR
• 🇫🇮 Finland – YLE
• 🇫🇷 France – FT
• 🇬🇪 Georgia – GPB
• 🇩🇪 Germany – ARD/NDR
• 🇬🇷 Greece – ERT
• 🇮🇸 Iceland – RÚV
• 🇮🇪 Ireland – RTÉ
• 🇮🇱 Israel – Kan
• 🇮🇹 Italy – RAI
• 🇱🇻 Latvia – LTV
• 🇱🇹 Lithuania – LRT
• 🇱🇺 Luxembourg – RTL
• 🇲🇹 Malta – PBS
• 🇲🇪 Montenegro – RTCG
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands – AVROTROS
• 🇳🇴 Norway – NRK
• 🇵🇱 Poland – TVP
• 🇵🇹 Portugal – RTP
• 🇸🇲 San Marino – SMRTV
• 🇷🇸 Serbia – RTS
• 🇸🇮 Slovenia – RTVSLO
• 🇪🇸 Spain – RTVE
• 🇸🇪 Sweden – SVT
• 🇨🇭 Switzerland – SRG SSR
• 🇺🇦 Ukraine – Suspilne
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom – BBC

31 of the 37 participating broadcasters will compete in Semi-Finals on Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 May with the Top 10 from each qualifying for the Grand Final on Saturday 17 May based on public votes.

The draw to determine in which Semi Final they will perform will take place in Basel on Tuesday 28 January.

The other 5 broadcasters from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom are pre-qualified for the Grand Final with host broadcaster SRG SSR from Switzerland.

The Hosts. Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer will be presenting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 when it comes to us from Basel in May. Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and Michelle Hunziker will present the Grand Final, while Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer will also host the First Semi-Final and the Second Semi-Final. 

According to Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR, the choice of the host trio for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 symbolises the values that define Switzerland: openness, diversity, multilingualism and a sense of togetherness. In May, the trio will not only aim to celebrate Europe’s diversity, but also to bring the true values and spirit of Switzerland to the stage – a country known for its openness, integration and community.

Two more hosts, Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney, will be presenting the pre-show party and public viewing in the Arena plus, the repurposed St. Jakob-Park football stadium. They will also be live on air during the Grand Final to announce the Swiss points during the eagerly-anticipated voting segment.

Visual and Audio Brand Identity. The visual and audio brand identity for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest has been developed by Art Director Artur Deyneuve. His aim was to create a design that made people feel heard and valued. Inspired by the Swiss tradition of direct democracy, which revolves around listening and dialogue, Deyneuve chose ‘listening’ as the central guiding theme of the whole branding concept, calling it ‘Unity Shapes Love’. 

This message will also be conveyed visually through the iconic Eurovision heart symbol, which stands for dialogue, unity and the unifying power of music. The pulsating Eurovision hearts have therefore become a core element of the design, representing the millions of people unified by the Eurovision Song Contest, to listen and celebrate together.

The Basel 2025 stage. The stage design for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest has been inspired by Switzerland’s mountains and diversity.

Florian Wieder, the Production Designer with Swiss roots, is overseeing the Eurovision stage design for the eighth time. For this year’s event at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Florian reveals that he has taken inspiration from the Swiss mountains and the country’s linguistic diversity: “Our goal was to create a revolutionary stage concept – a holistic experience that we’ve never seen before at Eurovision. Thanks to the immersive stage layout, the audience will get to be part of Eurovision like never before.”

Tickets. The first wave of ticket sales started on Wednesday 29 January 2025 at 10:00 CET and has now sold out. Further waves of tickets will go on sale in due course. Bookmark our Tickets page for updates and follow us on socials.

Further information on ticket purchasing and can be found in our Ticket FAQs.

Programme of Local Events. A comprehensive programme is planned in the city from May 10 – 17 for fans from all over Europe (as well as local people from Basel). Check out our Host City Guide for an overview of what’s going to be happening in Basel, as well as information about public transport and accommodation tailored towards anyone visiting for the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Volunteers. The registration window for volunteers to help shape Basel 2025 has now closed.

Those who have registered their interest will now be contacted by the host broadcaster.

Eurovision Song Contest 2025: Basel

Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will be held in Basel, Switzerland in May 2025 after Nemo’s victory in Malmö. Find all the information about Eurovision 2025: Date, City, Participants, Arena, Eurovision Village and Euroclub.

.Date: The Eurovision week will have three shows: Semi-final 1 on Tuesday, Semi-final 2 on Thursday and the Grand Final on Saturday:

• Semi-final 1: 13 May 2025
• Semi-final 2: 15 May 2025
• Grand Final: 17 May 2025

All three live shows will start at 21:00 CEST and will be hosted by Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer.

.City: Basel. The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will be held in Basel after Nemo’s victory in Malmö 2024.

It is the first time the contest will be held in Basel.

Basel is located on the banks of the River Rhine in the “border triangle” close to both France and Germany. Its strategic location has historically made it a hub for commerce and trade. Basel’s status as a cultural, business, and tourist hub ensures a wide range of accommodation options.

The city has a population of around 200,000 people, making it the third-largest city in Switzerland, after Zurich and Geneva.

Basel has an efficient public transportation system, including trams and buses that connect various parts of the city and surrounding regions. The city’s proximity to the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport, located just outside the city and serving Switzerland, France, and Germany, facilitates international travel.

The shortlist of Swiss cities in the run for hosting Eurovision Song Contest 2025 was Basel and Geneva. The host city was announced on 30 August 2024.

.Arena: St. Jakobshalle. The multi-purpose indoor arena is known for hosting a variety of events, including sports competitions, concerts, TV shows and other large gatherings.

St. Jakobshalle has a flexible seating arrangement, allowing it to accommodate different types of events. The capacity can vary, but it can host up to 12,400 spectators for concerts.

The arena is home to the Swiss Indoors Basel, an annual tennis tournament that attracts top players from around the world, and hosts other sporting events such as basketball, handball, and volleyball.

It is a popular concert venue, attracting international music stars and bands. Artists like Madonna, Queen, and Rihanna have performed there.

The arena will be reserved for 7.5 weeks for Eurovision 2025. The preparations start already on 7 April, where the roof will be temporarily enforced to support 280 tons of equipment (currently the arena roof can handle 120 tons).

.Participants. 37 countries will participate at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Changes from Eurovision 2024:

• WELCOME BACK:  Montenegro will return to Eurovision after two years break.
• OUT:  Moldova should have participated in Eurovision 2025, but withdrew. 

Who’s in which Semi-final?. Last year’s winner (Switzerland) and the Big-5 countries (Germany, France, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom) are pre-qualified for the Grand Final on 17 May 2025. The rest of the countries were allocated to one of the two Semi-finals that will be held on 13 and 15 May 2025. The allocation draw was made on 28 January 2025.

10 countries from each of the two Semi-finals will advance to the Grand Final, which will feature a total of 26 countries.

The draw determined what countries will perform in each of the two Semi-finals. 

The running order of the Semi-finals will be decided later by the producer or Eurovision 2025, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), and approved by the EBU.

The allocation draw took place on 28 January 2025 in Basel, and was hosted by Jennifer Bosshard and Jan van Ditzhuijzen.

Facts about the Semi-final draw:

• 37 countries are participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
• Six of the countries are pre-qualified for the Grand Final (Big-5 and Switzerland).
• The 31 countries were distributed into five allocation draw pots based on the voting pattern between them to avoid too much neighbor voting.
• After a country was drawn, a second draw determined whether that country will participate in the first or second part of the Semi-final.
• The six countries pre-qualified for the Grand Final (Big-5 and Switzerland) were also drawn to decide which Semi-final these countries will vote in.
• The final running order will be decided later by producer Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) and approved by the EBU.

Allocation Draw Pots: To ensure fair voting and competition, the 31 semi-finalists were distributed into five Draw Pots, based on the voting pattern to avoid too much neighbour voting:

1. Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Netherlands
2. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Israel, Poland, Ukraine
3. Albania, Austria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
4. Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, San Marino
5. Australia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden

How was the draw made?. The draw was divided into two parts:

1) Which pre-qualified countries vote in which Semi-final?

• The first part determined which of the six pre-qualified countries (Winner: Switzerland. Big-5: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK) will vote in which of the two Semi-finals.

2) Who’s in which Semi-final? 

• The second part determined which of the two Semi-finals (and in which half) each country will compete in.
• The first five countries for Semi-final 1 were drawn: From each of the five allocation draw pots, a country was drawn, and after each country, a second draw determined if the country will perform in the first half or in the second half of Semi-final 1.
• The first five countries for Semi-final 2 were then drawn (same recipe as the five for Semi-final 1).
• This continued until each of the 31 countries had been allocated to one of the two Semi-finals.

.Tickets. The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Basel, Switzerland, thanks to Nemo who won the Contest for the Swiss with their song The Code – this means that the 2025 edition will be hosted by Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR.

• First Semi-Final: Tuesday 13 May, 21:00 CET Venue: St. Jakobshalle, Basel
• Second Semi-Final: Thursday 15 May, 21:00 CET Venue: St. Jakobshalle, Basel
• Grand Final: Saturday 17 May, 21:00 CET Venue: St. Jakobshalle, Basel

Tickets for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 went on sale on 29 January 2025 for people who pre-registered before 10 January 2025.

Tickets for 9 shows. There will be tickets on sale for 9 shows – Six rehearsals and three live shows: All prices in CHF Swiss Franc – Show in € Euro

How to buy tickets. The first wave of tickets sold out within just a few minutes on 29 January – now the second wave of tickets will follow on Thursday 27 March at 12:00 CET. The tickets will be made available at TicketCorner and only for those who have already registered and have not yet been able to purchase tickets. Tickets will be available for all 9 shows (more information on the shows below).

Pre-registration was necessary for purchasing tickets, and this has now closed. This pre-registration was applicable for all ticket sale waves; you cannot pre-register anymore for the online ticket sales for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.

Due to the high demand, the organisers continue to appeal to all fans who have not yet been able to purchase tickets to refrain from purchasing on third-party platforms . The organisers cannot guarantee the validity of tickets from third-party platforms or private sales.

At a later date, it will be possible to search for verified tickets exclusively on TicketCorner fanSALE. TicketCorner’s official secondary market guarantees that all resold tickets are valid.

Advice on planning for tickets. If you haven’t bought tickets for a Eurovision Song Contest before: listen up! 

The Eurovision Song Contest isn’t just one Saturday night spectacular… it isn’t even just the three broadcast Semi-Finals and Grand Final… it’s actually 9 arena shows across the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Eurovision week!

This means fans have 9 opportunities to watch an arena show (or two… or 9!) and can also enjoy their time in the Host City without everything being focused around the Grand Final live show. 

The Arena Shows in 2025 will be (All prices in CHF Swiss Franc – All prices in € Euro):

•First Semi-Final: Tuesday 13 May, 21:00 CET 

• Evening Preview: Monday (12 May). 50 CHF – 170 CHF / €53 – €181
• Afternoon Preview: Tuesday afternoon (13 May). 10 CHF – 60 CHF / €11 – €64
• Live TV Show: Tuesday evening (13 May). 70 CHF – 270 CHF / €74 – €287

•Second Semi-Final: Thursday 15 May, 21:00 CET 

• Evening Preview: Wednesday evening (14 May). 50 CHF – 170 CHF / €53 – €181
• Afternoon Preview: Thursday afternoon (15 May). 10 CHF – 60 CHF / €11 – €64
• Live TV Show: Thursday evening (15 May). 70 CHF – 270 CHF / €74 – €287

•Grand Final: Saturday 17 May, 21:00 CET 

• Evening Preview: Friday evening (16 May). 65 CHF – 220 CHF / €69 – €234
• Afternoon Preview: Saturday afternoon (17 May). 25 CHF – 100 CHF / €27 – €106
• Live TV Show: Saturday evening (17 May). 90 CHF – 350 CHF / €96 – €372

The Evening Preview (previously known as the ‘Jury Show’) is a full run through of the show that takes place the night before the televised version. On Friday evening it’s when the international juries cast their votes for the participants that are announced in the live Grand Final. Audiences can stay for a randomised version of the qualifier/points reveals, as the presenters rehearse for different scenarios.

The Afternoon Preview (previously known as the ‘Family Show’) is a full run through of the show that takes place earlier in the day of the Live TV Show; it serves as one final rehearsal for the artists and crew, and as the name suggests, it’s much more convenient for those who wish to bring younger Eurovision fans. Again, the Family Show features a randomly generated presentation of the qualifiers and points.

The Live TV Show is exactly that: a live television show. Audiences across Europe (and Australia) will get to cast their votes to add to the Jury scores. No randomisations this time – it’s all for real!

Interest in Eurovision tickets is always high, but as fans who have travelled to a Contest before will tell you: traditionally it can be easier to secure tickets for the Preview shows. These shows have all of the content and performances of the broadcast shows, but leave you free to watch the Live TV Show as it was intended… on the television!

Ticket price for Eurovision 2025. All prices in CHF Swiss Franc – All prices in € Euro 

.Eurovision Village. Messe & Congress Center Basel (messe-basel.com) Messeplatz 21, 4058 Basel 

Eurovision Village is the official festival area during Eurovision Song Contest 2025. In Eurovision Village you can see live performances by artists, DJs and special events.

In Basel, the Eurovision Village will be placed inside the Messe & Congress Center – the heart of events and culture in Basel, with accommodation of up to 12,000 people. Eurovision Village will have a large stage and several smaller stages along with bars and food stalls.

Eurovision Village will be open for everybody from noon to midnight. All events are free to attend.

. EuroClub. Messe & Congress Center Basel (messe-basel.com) Messeplatz 21, 4058 Basel. 

The EuroClub is the venue for some special parties, the official after parties and performances by participants.

This year’s EuroClub will be at the same location as the Eurovision Village; at the Messe & Congress Center with space for up to 3,000 people each night. The complex will host the afterparties after the shows, where fans can party all night long.