The Eurovision Song Contest is officially underway, with Switzerland set to host what promises to be a spectacular finale. Following Nemo’s victory in 2024 with the song The Code, the 69th edition of the contest will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel.
As excitement builds, countries from across Europe—and a few beyond, including Israel and Australia—have sent their representatives to compete. The semi-finals, scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday at the St. Jakobshalle arena, will determine 20 finalists who will advance to the grand final.
KAJ – whose name is an acrostic for their first names, Kevin, Axel and Jakob – are favourites to win the 2025 contest (Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett )
As per tradition, the “Big Five” countries—France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom—automatically qualify for the final, as does the host country, Switzerland.
Before the live show kicks off, here’s everything you need to know to follow the world’s biggest music competition.
Key dates
First Semi-Final: Tuesday 13 May 2025, 21:00 CEST
Second Semi-Final: Thursday 15 May 2025, 21:00 CEST
Grand Final: Saturday 17 May, 2025, 21:00 CEST
How to watch the grand finale
The competition will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and in many countries on the Eurovision YouTube channel.
