The host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has been announced as Basel in Switzerland, the organizers announced.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a statement released on Friday that the semi-finals on 13 and 15 May and the grand final on 17 May for the 2025 event will be held at the St. Jakobshalle.
It added that the competition ‘is being held for the first time in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, after having previously been held in Lugano in 1956 and in Lausanne in 1989’.
The international singing competition is being held in Switzerland, after Swiss singer Nemo collected the trophy in Malmö, Sweden, earlier this year.
The 24-year-old Swiss star became the competition’s first non-binary winner after scoring 365 points from the judges and 226 from the public, for a total of 591 points, with their song The Code.
Host city for Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has been announced as the competition moves to Basel, Switzerland next May
In a statement released on Friday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said the semi-finals on May 13 and 15 and the grand final on May 17 for the 2025 event will be held at the St. Jakobshalle Arena (pictured Olly Alexander performing at the Eurovision Song Contest in May)
As usual, the competition will take place in the winner’s country next year.
Four cities were in the running to host the event: Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich. Geneva and Basel were the last two cities left.
The selection also means that 2025 will be the sixth year in a row that the competition will not be held in a country’s capital.
The event will take place in the St. Jakobshalle Arena in Münchenstein. The venue is usually used for indoor sports and concert events and has a capacity of 12,400 people.
Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: ‘The EBU is delighted that Basel has been selected as the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
‘The competition was born in Lugano, Switzerland in 1956 and it is wonderful to bring it back to its birthplace almost 70 years later.
‘Basel’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the ideal setting for an event that celebrates the power of music to connect people across borders.
‘With its unique mix of tradition and innovation, Basel reflects the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: “The EBU is delighted that Basel has been selected as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025” (pictured the Rhine in Basel)
The venue will be held in the St. Jakobshalle Arena (pictured). This venue is located in Münchenstein and is usually used for indoor sports and concert events. It has a capacity of 12,400 people.
Swiss singer Nemo won the trophy earlier this year in Malmö, Sweden, becoming the competition’s first non-binary winner after scoring 365 points from the judges and 226 from the public, giving a total of 591, for their song The Code.
British fans will be hoping for a better result this year after Olly Alexander received a hard zero at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
‘The city’s special location, the St. Jakobshalle, and the excellent hospitality provide an unforgettable experience for delegations, artists and fans.’
British fans will be hoping for a better result this year after Olly Alexander scored zero points at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The 34-year-old singer of Years And Years represented the UK with his racy song Dizzy. Although the jury’s vote seemed positive, he unfortunately did not receive any votes from the public.
The UK finished with a low score of 46, as fans shared their grief on X, formerly known as Twitter, feeling the star “deserved better”.
They wrote: ‘Why on earth did Olly Alexander get a 0? You deserved better’; ‘Zero public points for the UK – my jaw dropped #Eurovision2024’
‘I really feel sorry for Olly Alexander, to get 0 public votes for Eurovision is really hard! Everyone hates the UK! I think it’s not about music anymore, it’s about politics. Congratulations Switzerland’.
Olly and his team seemed to take the news with a pinch of salt though, as photos showed them laughing and cheering after the news was announced.
The star didn’t seem disappointed as he celebrated with his dancers after the packed performance.