Eurovision 2025 Draw – Serbia to Perform in the Second Half of the Second Semifinal!

On January 28, the draw for the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 took place in Basel, as part of the official handover ceremony between Malmö and Switzerland, this year’s host country.

During the event, it was decided in which semi-finals the 31 competing countries would participate, while the six direct finalists (the Big Five and the host country) were allocated voting rights in one of the two semi-finals.

Serbia Learns Its Semi-Final

Serbia will compete for a spot in the grand final in the second semi-final, scheduled for Thursday, May 15. The country will perform in the second half of the show, which can be a strategic advantage in the voting process. Although the exact running order will be determined later by the contest producers, it is already clear that the competition will be fierce.

Alongside Serbia, several other Balkan countries will compete in the second semi-final, including Montenegro and Greece, both of which will perform in the first half of the show.

Regarding other Balkan countries, Albania—known for its memorable Eurovision performances—will compete in the first semi-final, along with Croatia and Slovenia, on May 13, aiming for a place in the final.

First Semi-Final (May 13)

The first semi-final, scheduled for May 13, will feature 15 countries. The lineup is as follows:

• First half: Estonia, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine
• Second half: Albania, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino

Second Semi-Final (May 15)

The second semi-final will have one more country than the first, with 16 participants. The lineup is:

• First half: Armenia, Austria, Australia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Ireland, Montenegro
• Second half: Denmark, Georgia, Serbia, Czechia, Finland, Israel, Luxembourg, Malta

How Did the Draw Process Work?

To prevent excessive neighborly voting, all participating countries were divided into five different pots based on historical voting patterns. Serbia was placed in a group with Albania, Austria, Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia, meaning there was a chance they could end up in the same semi-final as some of them.

Here is the composition of all five pots:

• Pot 1: Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands
• Pot 2: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Israel, Poland, Ukraine
• Pot 3: Albania, Austria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia
• Pot 4: Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, San Marino
• Pot 5: Australia, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden

After the draw, it became clear that Serbia and Montenegro will perform in the same semi-final, while Croatia and Slovenia will compete two days earlier.

In addition to the semi-final participants, the pre-qualified countries were also assigned voting rights. In the first semi-final, audiences from Spain, Italy, and Switzerland will be able to vote.

In the second semi-final, where Serbia is competing, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will vote. This could be significant, as Serbia has historically received strong support from audiences in these countries.

When Will the Running Order Be Announced?

Although the semi-final allocations have been determined, the exact running order will be decided by Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This approach ensures a more dynamic show and a balanced distribution of musical styles.

The Eurovision 2025 Grand Final will take place on Saturday, May 17, when we will find out who will succeed last year’s winner and bring victory to their country. Until then, we await the songs, performances, and competitive spirit that Eurovision brings every year!

For those who missed the draw and the key handover ceremony, the full recording is available in the attached video.

Draw of Eurovision 2025