Eurovision 2025: First 10 finalists revealed! A spectacular show in Basel with shocking results for fans! Croatia and Slovenia out of the final

The first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest took place tonight in Basel, where audiences across the globe decided which ten countries will advance to the Grand Final. St. Jakobshalle arena was packed, with votes pouring in from all corners of the planet. Fans from non-competing countries also participated via the „Rest of the World“ vote.

The ten countries that qualified for the final (in order of announcement):

 Norway | Kyle Alessandro – „Lighter“
 Albania | Shkodra Elektronike – „Zjerm“
 Sweden | KAJ – „Bara Bada Bastu“
 Iceland | VÆB – „RÓA“
 Netherlands | Claude – „C’est La Vie“
 Poland | Justyna Steczkowska – „GAJA“
 San Marino | Gabry Ponte – „Tutta L’Italia“
 Estonia | Tommy Cash – „Espresso Macchiato“
 Portugal | NAPA – „Deslocado“
 Ukraine | Ziferblat – „Bird of Pray“

Unfortunately, the competition ended for five countries that failed to qualify: Slovenia, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Cyprus.

Betting odds didn’t get everything right

As every year, bookmakers had been predicting their top 10 favorites for the final, but the first semi-final night always brings surprises. According to the latest odds, Sweden, Estonia, the Netherlands, Albania, Ukraine, Belgium, Poland, Cyprus, Norway, and San Marino were expected to be safe finalists.

However, Belgium and Cyprus failed to secure a spot tonight, despite being considered “sure bets” by the odds. Their elimination proved that viewers often vote with their hearts, not with statistics. On the other hand, Iceland and Portugal, who had much lower chances according to bookmakers, managed to reach the final and became the evening’s pleasant surprises.

Iceland’s success was especially noted — their energetic and visually striking performance won over the audience, despite many labeling them as „underdogs.“ Portugal, meanwhile, captivated fans with authenticity and emotional delivery, which clearly resonated with the public.

This semi-final night once again demonstrated that bookmakers can predict trends but not emotions — and it’s often emotions that decide the fate of Eurovision contestants.

An Evening Full of Swiss Charm

The show opened in the most delightful way – with a dance troupe, yodelers, and alpine horns performing a special medley of Eurovision hits like „Tattoo,“ „Arcade,“ „Waterloo,“ and „The Code.“ The voting break was dedicated to the theme „Where It All Began,“ humorously showcasing Swiss stereotypes and innovations.

The iconic Petra Mede (host of ESC 2013, 2016, 2024) appeared alongside Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer. A special emotional moment was Céline Dion’s video message — the 1988 Eurovision winner greeted the audience, followed by last year’s stars (Marina Satti, Jerry Heil, Iolanda, and Silvester Belt) performing her famous song „Ne partez pas sans moi.“

As always, the postcards were creatively designed. This year, under the slogan „Experience Switzerland Through the Eyes of Artists,“ contestants symbolically opened a mailbox that would lead them into authentic Swiss adventures: making chocolate, wine tasting, participating in traditional Swiss wrestling (Schwingen), and more.

Voting – a blend of tradition and technology

Viewers from participating countries voted via phone, SMS, and the official ESC app, while the rest of the world cast their votes through the special platform ESC.vote. San Marino, as usual, relied solely on jury votes due to technical limitations.

Following recent practices, finalists were announced in random order – the hosts called out three countries at a time, then revealed which one of them had qualified, without any ranking.

A new twist was introduced this year: instead of calling out one finalist at a time, the hosts invited three countries to the stage, and then revealed which of them was going through to the final. This kept the element of randomness but visually and dramatically created additional suspense.

It’s important to note that not being called in the first or second “group of three” didn’t mean a country was out — they could be revealed in the following rounds. This method proved to be a hit: with every group of countries called out, the audience collectively gasped and cheered, with tension almost palpable.

For the last, tenth finalist, organizers reverted to the traditional single announcement — in the spirit of tradition and symbolic closure of the evening.

What’s next?

The second semi-final is scheduled for May 15th, where we’ll find out the remaining 10 finalists. Serbia will compete with Princ’s song „Mila,“ hoping to secure a spot in the Grand Final.

The full voting results will be published only after the Grand Final concludes.

First semi-final of Eurovision 2025.