The Eurovision season has just begun, and we can already anticipate the schedule for the upcoming competition and important dates. So fasten your seatbelts and open your calendars for Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland.
The Swiss national broadcaster SSR-SRG and the organizers in Basel are already working diligently on the upcoming hosting, and we are left to wait for the competition and all the events and announcements leading up to it. There are details we already know and continue to update here, while for others we will have to wait. We have gathered here an updated list of the future timeline, what we already know and what we will need to wait for.
What We Already Know About Eurovision 2025
Since Switzerland’s victory at Eurovision 2024 with “The Code” performed by Nemo, various details about the next competition have been revealed. Basel has been chosen to host Eurovision 2025, with the contest dates and venue (St. Jakobshalle) already announced. The core team, producers, and overall supervisor – Christer Björkman – have been selected. Björkman has participated in numerous Eurovision productions over the years, been involved in organizing and producing Sweden’s Melodifestivalen, served as the Swedish head of delegation multiple times, and even competed in Eurovision 1992 himself.
Last month, the event map for Basel was published, showing the locations of the EuroClub (where Eurovision parties will be held), EuroVillage, and other attractions around the city. Shortly after, the date for the Turquoise Carpet event was announced for May 11th. The organizers have also launched a major volunteer recruitment drive for the contest, which we covered here.
What We’re Still Waiting For
As we’re still at the beginning of the season, we eagerly await the next exciting announcements leading up to the May competition. One topic already generating numerous headlines is the identity of the hosts, with various speculations and rumors circulating online about who will lead this year’s glittering event.
An official list of participating countries is not yet available, although many nations have confirmed their participation. Some countries, like Montenegro, are returning to the competition, while others, such as Romania, have yet to make a final decision.
Regarding the event itself, there’s still no visual concept design, stage design, or postcards concept. And of course, for those planning to attend – the ticket sale date is yet to be announced.
In the meantime, we’re all eagerly waiting for participating countries to announce their representatives, each according to their selection method, and the release of official music videos. The first representative for Eurovision 2025 has already been revealed – Theo Evan, who will represent Cyprus.
As for the competition itself and approaching May, we’ll learn about the semi-final draw, running order, EuroVillage and EuroClub event schedules, and most intriguingly – the identity of the artists who will perform on the Eurovision stage and the performances planned for the contest’s opening and interval acts in each broadcast.
Expected Timeline for Basel 2025
- 11/10/2024 – Deadline for countries to withdraw participation without penalty
- November-December 2024 – Official list of participating countries in Eurovision revealed
- January 2025 – Semi-final allocation draw – countries divided into semi-finals
- January 2025 – Host city handover ceremony (from Malmö to Basel)
- March 2025 – Deadline for submitting and approving participating songs
- March 2025 – Heads of delegation meeting in Switzerland
- April 2025 – EBU and SSR-SRG production teams begin preparations at St. Jakobshalle
- April 2025 – Stage construction begins
- May 2025 – Rehearsals begin
- 10/05/2025 – EuroClub opening
- 10/05/2025 – EuroVillage opening
- 11/05/2025 – Turquoise Carpet event
- 11/05/2025 – Contest opening ceremony
- 12/05/2025 – First semi-final – Jury show
- 13/05/2025 – First semi-final – Family show
- 13/05/2025 – First semi-final
- 14/05/2025 – Second semi-final – Jury show
- 15/05/2025 – Second semi-final – Family show
- 15/05/2025 – Second semi-final
- 16/05/2025 – Final – Jury show
- 17/05/2025 – Final – Family show
- 17/05/2025 – The Grand Final
Eurovision 2025: The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15, and 17, 2025. The St. Jakobshalle arena, which will host the competition, is expected to accommodate about 12,000 spectators for each show. The contest will take place in Switzerland following the country’s third historical win with the song “The Code”, performed by singer Nemo. This will be the third time the competition has been hosted in Switzerland, after the contest was held there in 1956 and 1989.