The Semi-Final Allocation Draw and Host City Insignia Exchange Ceremony will be held on January 28. During the draw, it will be determined which country will compete in the first and second semi-final.
The Semi-Final Allocation Draw and Host City Insignia Exchange Ceremony is the first Eurovision event of the year organized by the national broadcaster, this year Switzerland’s SRG SSR. During the event, the 38 participating countries will be divided into two semi-finals, each with 16 participants. The first semi-final will take place on May 13, and the second on May 15.
The 32 countries participating in the semi-finals will be divided into two groups, with each country allowed to vote only in the semi-final in which it participates. Prior to the draw, they will be divided into five or six groups based on historical voting patterns. For example, former Yugoslav countries (Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia) will be allocated to the same pot. Countries in each group will be evenly distributed between the two semi-finals, thus reducing the possibility of bloc voting affecting the finalists.
Draw Procedure and Big Five Voting
After allocating each country to one of the semi-finals, their performance order is also drawn, determining whether they will perform in the first or second half of the evening. The draw will also decide which semi-final the countries competing directly in the final (Italy, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland, which won in 2024) will vote in. According to European Broadcasting Union rules, these countries are required to broadcast the semi-final they are allocated to vote in.
Host City Insignia Exchange Ceremony
As part of the Semi-Final Allocation Draw, the Host City Insignia Exchange Ceremony takes place, where the previous host city passes a set of keys to the current one. This tradition began with Eurovision 2007. During this ceremony, each previous city adds a symbol associated with it to the key ring.
Currently, there are no additional details about the ceremony’s hosts, how it will be conducted, or any special features, but all this information will be revealed soon.
Source: EBU.CH
Eurovision 2025: This will be Switzerland’s 65th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland joined the competition in 1956, being one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Its most recent victory was at the last Eurovision in 2025, with Nemo’s song “The Code.” This win follows Switzerland’s previous victory in 1988 with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi,” performed by international singer Céline Dion.
