Tonight at 21:00 CET, the 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will kick off live from Basel, Switzerland! Fifteen countries will compete for ten coveted spots in the grand final. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s show!
This evening (Tuesday, May 13) at 21:00 (CET), the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025 will be broadcast live from the city of Basel, Switzerland. Fifteen countries will participate in the first show, with only ten earning a coveted ticket to the grand final, which will take place on Saturday night, May 17. Joining them in the final will be the “Big Five” – Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and France – as well as the host country, Switzerland, all of whom have already secured their spots in the final.
Event Details: Hosts, Special Performances, and Surprises
The event will be held at the St. Jakobshalle arena, which seats 12,400 people, marking the first time Basel has hosted the contest. The show will be presented by the competition’s hosts, Sandra Studer and Hazel Brugger. During the interval act, a new song, “Made in Switzerland”, celebrating Swiss inventions throughout history, will be performed by the hosts, joined in a surprise appearance by legendary host Petra Mede, who previously hosted the last three contests held in Sweden.
Later in the show, Celine Dion, the 1988 Eurovision winner for Switzerland, who could not attend the contest in person, chose to deliver a special message to viewers. Following her message, Iolanda, Marina Satti, Jerry Heil, and Sylvester Belt, all of whom participated in Eurovision 2024, will perform “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi”, the song originally performed by Celine Dion at Eurovision 1988.
This semi-final will also feature changes in the way qualifiers for the final are announced, adding more suspense and extending the excitement throughout the show.
Where and How to Watch the Eurovision Semi-Final
The live broadcast can be watched from almost every EBU member, and from the official Eurovision Song Contest channel:
Running Order: First Semi-Final Eurovision 2025
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Iceland: VAEB – “Róa”
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Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – “GAJA”
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Slovenia: Klemen Slakonja – “How Much Time Do We Have Left”
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Estonia: Tommy Cash – “Espresso Macchiato”
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Ukraine: Ziferblat – “Bird of Pray”
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Sweden: KAJ – “Bara bada bastu”
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Portugal: NAPA – “Deslocado”
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Norway: Kyle Alessandro – “Lighter”
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Belgium: Red Sebastian – “Strobe Lights”
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Azerbaijan: Mamagama – “Run With U”
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San Marino: Gabry Ponte – “Tutta L’Italia”
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Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – “Zjerm”
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Netherlands: Claude – “C’est La Vie”
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Croatia: Marko Bošnjak – “Poison Cake”
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Cyprus: Theo Evan – “Shh”
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.
