The ESC is coming home to Switzerland in 2025. The very first "Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson" took place in Lugano in 1956. Back then, Lys Assia won and secured the first victory in ESC history for Switzerland. Switzerland's second victory followed in 1988 with Céline Dion, after which the music competition was held in Lausanne in 1989. Thanks to Nemo's victory in Malmö in 2024, the ESC is now coming to Switzerland for the third time - to Basel. 

Hosting the ESC offers great opportunities for Basel as a venue. Basel will do everything in its power to be a good host city. The guests coming to Basel will benefit the hotel, catering and retail sectors as well as Basel's cultural scene. In addition, Basel can reach a global audience through live broadcasts and international coverage and inspire them with the qualities of the city.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will last around a week and include a total of nine shows with an audience, including two semi-finals and the grand final that will be broadcast live. The show week will kick off with the Opening Ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, 11 May 2025, at Messe Basel. Main venue for the shows is St. Jakobshalle.

A comprehensive programme is planned in the city from 10 to 17 May for fans from all over Europe as well as for people from Basel. The programme includes the Arena Plus, which will complement the main show with a huge public viewing on the day of the final.

• Arena Plus

  The Arena Plus is more than just a public viewing. It will be set up in St. Jakob-Park on 17 May: The stadium will have a festival atmosphere, including concerts by former ESC stars.

• Eurovision Village

  The Eurovision Village at Messe Basel (Hall 1) offers a daily programme of live concerts, public viewings, food and drinks and activities related to the Eurovision Song Contest. Admission is free.

• EuroClub & Café

  The EuroClub is where the ESC fan clubs party until late into the night. They will also put together the EuroClub programme. Daily from 11 pm. The number of tickets is limited.

• Eurovision Square

  The open-air stage on Barfüsserplatz is a stage of diversity: mostly local and regional acts play here every day - including regional acts from neighbouring Germany and France. Admission is free.

• Eurovision Boulevard

  The Eurovision Boulevard from Basel SBB railway station to Badischer Bahnhof - including areas of the "Riviera" along the banks of the river Rhine in Kleinbasel - is the connecting element between ESC venues. Decorative elements, eye-catchers and activations create an ESC ambience and make Basel's savoir-vivre visible and tangible for guests from Europe.

• Eurovision Street

  The Steinenvorstadt will become Eurovision Street during the ESC: the street music and eye-catching decorations will make the nightlife area fit in with the ESC. Local businesses will be involved in the planning.

In the run-up to the ESC Main rehearsals and official events of the European Broadcasting Union take place in Basel. SRG is responsible for organising the ESC on behalf of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

• Handover ceremony and semi-final draw, January 2025

  At the official handover ceremony, last year's host city Malmö will symbolically hand over the ESC keychain to Basel. Representatives of the city, the SRG and the EBU will take part in this event. The subsequent draw for the semi-finals is usually broadcast live.

• Head of Delegation Meeting in Basel, March 2025

  The host city welcomes the heads of the more than 20 delegations from all participating countries and shows them around the main venue St. Jakobshalle.

• Opening Ceremony, 11 May 2025

  On Sunday evening before the show week, the Opening Ceremony takes place on the Messeplatz. This consists of the Turquoise Carpet Event (open to the public), where all the artists walk across the turquoise-coloured carpet, and a Welcome Reception, at which the host city and SRG officially welcome the delegations and invited guests.

The ESC has political backing in Basel: on 5 June 2024, the Grand Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt decided by 74:8 votes with 6 abstentions that Basel should bid to host the ESC. On 11 September 2024, the Grand Council approved the supplementary credit and the expenditure of CHF 37.464 million for the ESC with 87:4 votes in favour and 4 abstentions. All parliamentary groups in the Grand Council supported the staging of the ESC in Basel by a majority or even unanimously.