The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals are fast approaching, where entrants from 37 countries will sing for their place in the main contest next month.
Although six nations – the Big Five of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK and last year’s winner, Switzerland – are pre-qualified for the final, the remaining 31 nations have been assigned to one of the two semi-finals.
They will compete to make it through to the 69th annual song contest, set to be hosted by Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer, and broadcast live in the UK on BBC One.
So, when is Eurovision 2025, who will be representing the UK, and who are the favourites to win?
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is Eurovision 2025?
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 grand final will be held in St. Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland, on Saturday, May 17. The semi-finals will take place on Tuesday, May 13 and Thursday, May 15.
The country that wins Eurovision usually hosts the competition the following year — and in 2025, we’re heading to central Europe thanks to Swiss singer Nemo’s victory with The Code in 2024.
About 12,000 fans are expected to attend the grand final at St. Jakobshalle.
The running orders for both semi-finals have now been confirmed, so you can plan your viewing ahead of time.
First semi-final (in running order)
1. Iceland: VÆB – RÓA
2. Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – GAJA
3. Slovenia: Klemen – How Much Time Do We Have Left
4. Estonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato
5. Spain: Melody – ESA DIVA
6. Ukraine: Ziferblat – Bird of Pray
7. Sweden: KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu
8. Portugal: NAPA – Deslocado
9. Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
10. Belgium: Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights
11. Italy: Lucio Corsi – Volevo Essere Un Duro
12. Azerbaijan: Mamagama - Run With U
13. San Marino: Gabry Ponte – Tutta L’Italia
14. Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm
15. Netherlands: Claude – C’est La Vie
16. Croatia: Marko Bošnjak – Poison Cake
17. Switzerland: Zoë Më – Voyage
Second semi-final (not in running order)
1. Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man
2. Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli
3. Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party
4. Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi
5. Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR
6. Austria: JJ – Wasted Love
7. United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened?
8. Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta
9. Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys
10. Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING
11. Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom
12. France: Louane – maman
13. Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination
14. Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye
15. Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son
16. Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise
17. Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller
18. Serbia: Princ – Mila
19. Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME
UK’s Eurovision 2025 entry
The girl country-pop trio Remember Monday will represent the UK at this year's Eurovision with their song What the Hell Just Happened.
Consisting of members Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull, and Charlotte Steele, they will be the first girl band to represent the UK in Eurovision since 1999.
Following their 2019 appearance on The Voice UK, the group released their debut EP in 2023.
In January 2024, they covered Alanis Morissette's Hand in My Pocket on their Voice mentor Jennifer Hudson's US TV show.
The trio met while studying together at the Sixth Form College Farnborough.
Eurovision 2025 odds
UK betting sites rank Sweden as the clear favourite to win the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. The website Eurovisionworld rates the Swedes as having a 26 per cent winning chance.
Sweden’s entry this year is the Finnish music and comedy group KAJ with their song Bara bada bastu, which translates to Just sauna in English.
Austria and France are the second and third favourites, respectively. Austria’s entry is Wasted Love by JJ, while Louane will represent France with the song Maman.
Sadly, the UK rarely ranks among the favourites — and it’s no secret that we often struggle in the competition. We finished 18th last year and 25th the year before.
Things were briefly looking up in 2022, when Sam Ryder secured a surprise second-place finish. However, expectations for the UK’s chances this year remain low, although Eurovisionworld has rated Remember Monday as the 14th most likely winner out of the 37 entrants.
How to watch and listen to Eurovision 2025 in the UK
As usual, the BBC will broadcast Eurovision live coverage.
BBC One and BBC iPlayer will broadcast the semi-finals on May 13 and May 15 and the grand final on May 17. Additionally, live streaming will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 2.
Official numbers from the agency Digital i showed that an average of 7.64 million people watched last year's grand final, peaking at 8.46 million. Olly Alexander, the British entry, received 0 points in the public vote and finished 18th with 46 points.
The BBC said its coverage of Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool across TV, radio and online increased by 55 per cent since 2022, reaching 29.8 million people. It was the most watched final in the UK since modern records began.
