Eurovision 2025 host city: Basel or Geneva
Four becomes two: The shortlist of Swiss cities still in the running to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2025
UPDATE 30 JULY 2024
Host city announcement on 30 August
Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR will reveal the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 on 30 August.
As early as a week before Switzerland's Eurovision victory the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) and a twelve-member task force started working on a possible Swiss ESC 2025. The Monday after Nemo's victory the task force began planning for Eurovision 2025.
In the last week of May the Host City Bid Book was ready and sent to the cities interested in hosting Eurovision 2025. The Host City Bid Book is a comprehensive catalog of requirements for hosting Eurovision such as a suitable arena, an airport connection, and financing.
The SRG SSR committee has reviewed the bids of the interested cities, and has selected two of them to progress to the final phase:
The final decision will be made at the end of August according to Edi Estermann, head of the media at SRG SSR.
Basel
Basel is located on the banks of the River Rhine in the "border triangle" close to both France and Germany. Its strategic location has historically made it a hub for commerce and trade. Basel's status as a cultural, business, and tourist hub ensures a wide range of accommodation options.
The city has a population of around 200,000 people, making it the third-largest city in Switzerland, after Zurich and Geneva.
Basel has an efficient public transportation system, including trams and buses that connect various parts of the city and surrounding regions. The city's proximity to the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport, located just outside the city and serving Switzerland, France, and Germany, facilitates international travel.
St. Jakobshalle
Basel will be represented in the race, with the St. Jakobshalle serving as the venue and the Joggeli as a public viewing area.
The multi-purpose indoor arena is known for hosting a variety of events, including sports competitions, concerts, TV shows and other large gatherings.
St. Jakobshalle has a flexible seating arrangement, allowing it to accommodate different types of events. The capacity can vary, but it can host up to 12,400 spectators for concerts.
The arena is home to the Swiss Indoors Basel, an annual tennis tournament that attracts top players from around the world, and hosts other sporting events such as basketball, handball, and volleyball.
It is a popular concert venue, attracting international music stars and bands. Artists like Madonna, Queen, and Rihanna have performed there.
Geneva
The city where the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) resides is a prominent global city located on the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) in the southwestern part of Switzerland, very close to the French border.
The city has a population of around 200,000 people, making it the second-largest city in Switzerland after Zurich.
Geneva has an efficient public transportation system that includes trams, buses, and boats. The city also promotes cycling and walking as eco-friendly modes of transportation. Geneva International Airport (GVA) is well-connected to major cities worldwide and is just a short distance from the city center. The city's central location in Europe makes it a key railway hub, with connections to cities across Switzerland and neighboring countries.
Geneva is a central hub for international diplomacy, and hosts numerous international organizations, including the European headquarters of the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), International Red Cross, World Trade Organization (WTO), and International Labour Organization (ILO).
Palexpo
Geneva wants to hold Eurovision 2025 at the convention and exhibition center Palexpo.
Palexpo boasts seven interconnected halls, offering flexible and versatile spaces that can be adapted to various event requirements. The total exhibition area exceeds 106,000 square meters, making it one of the largest exhibition centers in Europe.
Nearly 32,000 square meters capable of accommodating nearly 15,000 spectators can be made available for Eurovision 2025. All of Palexpo's three convention centers can accommodate more than 2,000 journalists.
Various trade shows, conferences, sporting events, and cultural exhibitions take place at Palexpo throughout the year, and will host the final weekend of the 2028 European Men's Handball Championship.
When will Eurovision 2025 be held?
Eurovision 2025 will be held in Switzerland in May. The dates have not been announced yet.
The Eurovision week will have three shows: Semi-final 1 on Tuesday, Semi-final 2 on Thursday and the Grand Final on Saturday.
The possible dates for Eurovision 2025 are:
| Semi-final 1 Tuesday | Semi-final 2 Thursday | Grand Final Saturday | |
| 29 April | 1 May | 3 May | |
| 6 May | 8 May | 10 May | |
| 13 May | 15 May | 17 May | Most possible dates |
| 20 May | 22 May | 24 May | |
| 27 May | 29 May | 31 May |
The most possible dates for Eurovision 2025 are 13 - 15 - 17 May 2025 – It's still a guess. The dates have not been announced or confirmed.
Events that can affect the dates of Eurovision 2025:
- UEFA Champions League: Semi-finals on 29/30 April and 6/7 May 2025. Final on 31 May 2025
- UEFA Europa League: Semi-finals on 1 & 8 May. Final on 21 May 2025
- German Football Cup: Final on 24 May 2025
What will happen next?
The final decision on the Eurovision 2025 host city will be made by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) and the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). Further discussions will now take place with officials from both Basel and Geneva.
The two cities will be scored on a set of criteria. Most importantly the venue, which should accommodate at least 10,000 spectators and be available for six to eight weeks for preparations. The city should also have hotel accommodation for thousands of delegates, journalists, and spectators. A press center for 1,500 journalists at or close to the main venue is also mandatory.
