Tonight: Semi-final 2 of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025

We already know the first 16 songs qualified for the Grand Final on Saturday. Tonight, the second Semi-final will decide the last 10 qualifiers.

16 songs will be performed, but only 10 will qualify for Saturday's Grand Final. The show starts at 21:00 CEST, broadcast live from St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. The hosts are again Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer. Michelle Hunziker will join them on Saturday.

The running order was decided by Swiss broadcaster and producer SRG SSR based on an allocation draw.

Lineup Semi-final 2

Opening: Philip

This year's Eurovision second semi-final is, in its essence, a tribute to the fans. It all starts with a clip of Philip. He's been a fan for over 50 years and is from Basel.

The audience at home gets to know who Philip is as he shares a few curiosities, and a few moments after it'll be the audience in the arena who gets to see him live as he carries with him a Eurovision heart with the Swiss flag in it. He places it in the center of the stage and it illuminates the whole thing.

The hosts are back on stage to welcome everyone back. The rules are explained, and after approximately five minutes, the hosts shout:

LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN!

The first country on stage is Australia.

Postcards

Before each of the 16 songs we'll see a small "postcard" while the stage is being prepared for the song. Each of the 16 postcards feature the same idea: "Experience Switzerland through the eyes of the artists."

Each artist opens what seems to be a mailbox to retrieve a postcard that becomes reality and takes them somewhere in the country. We follow them into museums, into the manufacturing of watches, into the Swiss Alps, and even into the process of making cheese.

The artists' name concludes the postcard.

Commercial Breaks

After Austria, the evening's first commercial break takes place:

For the viewers without commercials, Hazel and Sandra reinforce the term "Eurovision family." Hazel attempts to guide interviews while crowdsurfing.

A segment of Hazel, in what seems to be an over-60s Eurovision party, is played.

After Georgia, the second commercial break takes place. The focus is now on the commentators. Sandra goes through the commentators' booth and speaks to a few of them including, of course, the Swiss commentator.

Interval Act: Homage to Eurovision 2020

After all 16 songs have been performed it's time to start the voting. All countries in Semi-final 2, along with the three pre-qualified countries (the United Kingdom, France and Germany) can vote in this Semi-final.

The presenters explain the rules and are quick to open the voting:

START VOTING NOW!

A first recap takes place, and then it's time for the interval act.

Tonight's interval act will be a partial homage to Eurovision 2020 that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the hosts do reference the artists that didn't get to ever perform in Eurovision, the focus is on four songs from the 2020 edition from artists that actually did get their shot in 2021.

Gjon's Tears from Switzerland performs "Répondez‐moi," The Roop from Lithuania perform "On Fire," Efendi from Azerbaijan performs "Cleopatra," and Destiny from Malta closes the act with "All of My Love."

Similar to the first Semi-final, just before the final recap the green room is inaugurated.

STOP VOTING NOW!

The voting is now closed, but we still have to hang on for a few moments.

We get back to the fans and meet four ultra fans: a couple from Malta, one fan from Turkey, and another one from Australia.

They share the reasons why they love the contest, curiosities, and the viewer gets to follow their journey to Basel. It ends with a quick chat between the hosts and them in the arena.

Another segment begins, and while it starts as a presentation of Switzerland (their official languages, characteristics and so on), it ends up being a segment on celebrating life.

With Hazel in the green room it's time to get to know a few of the acts a little better and make people at home drool over cheese fondue.

We're ready to find out who the 10 qualifiers are, and Martin Österdahl, the boss who oversees everything related to Eurovision, gives his thumbs up that all is set for the qualifiers' announcement.

Just before they do so, a big "good to go" is displayed on the screen.

THE 10 SONGS QUALIFIED FOR THE GRAND FINAL...

A new way of announcing the 10 qualifiers for the Grand Final is introduced this year. For the first nine qualifiers, three acts will be displayed split-screen, of which one of the acts will be announced as the qualifier. The two other acts are not eliminated, but remain in limbo. It can happen that the same act appears twice or three times on the split screen.

For the tenth spot in the Final, no split screen will be used.

GOOD NIGHT EUROPE!

While the credits are running, Hazel is met by the artists and introduces a performance by Sandra Studer, who will sing "Insieme: 1992" (Italy 1990).

Voting

The voting procedure follows the same recipe as last year. In the Semi-finals there will be no juries. Viewers in some of the non-participating countries ("the rest of the world") will be able to vote online. These online votes will have the same weight as one participating country in both of the Semi-finals, as well as the Grand Final. Each country and "the rest of the world" will have one set of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points to give.

• Voting will open after the last song has been performed, and will stay open for approximately 20 minutes.
• The 10 songs with most points will qualify for the Grand Final.
• Each of the 16 countries participating in Semi-final 2 will vote.
• The pre-qualified countries United Kingdom, France and Germany will broadcast and vote in Semi-final 2.
• Each country will have televoting, which results in a set of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points.
• "The rest of the world" can vote online, which results in a set of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points.
• The voting results will not be revealed before the Grand Final has finished on Saturday.
• Only the 10 qualified songs will be revealed, and in random order.

Eurovision Song Contest 2025

The 69th Eurovision Song Contest takes place on 13, 15 and 17 May 2025. The contest will be held in Basel, Switzerland.

• Location: Basel, Switzerland
• Participants: 37
• Semi-final 1: 13 May 2025: 15 participants. The 10 best songs qualified for the Grand Final.
• Semi-final 2: 15 May 2025: 16 participants. The 10 best songs qualify for the Grand Final.
• Grand Final: 17 May 2025: 26 participants: Switzerland, Big-5 (Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the United Kingdom), 10 best from Semi-final 1, 10 best from Semi-final 2.