Swiss city of Basel to host Eurovision 2025

BASEL

Basel will host the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest after the Swiss border city was chosen on Aug. 30 to stage the 69th edition of the glitzy annual TV extravaganza.

Swiss singer Nemo's 2024 Eurovision victory gave Switzerland the right to host next year's event, with a huge global audience guaranteed.

Right on the borders with France and Germany, Switzerland's third-biggest city was given the nod ahead of Geneva.

The contest will be staged at the St. Jakobshalle indoor arena, with semi-finals set for May 13 and 15, while the final is to take place on May 17.

"Basel's strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the ideal setting for an event that celebrates the power of music to connect people across borders," Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Osterdahl said in a statement.

From its earnest black-and-white 1950s beginnings, Eurovision has ballooned into a colorful giant kitsch celebration that never takes itself too seriously.

The contest puts host cities in the spotlight, with 163 million viewers worldwide watching this year's event in Malmo, Sweden, where Nemo triumphed in May with the highly personal song "The Code."

Hosting also has a knock-on boost for the hotel and tourism industries as Eurovision fanatics, artists and country delegations flock in.

Opened in 1976, St. Jakobshalle styles itself as Switzerland's top multi-purpose arena. The venue can hold more than 12,000 spectators.

Fans without golden tickets for the arena will be able to flock to the 40,000-capacity St. Jakob-Park football stadium across the street to watch the final on a giant screen, and see performances by former Eurovision stars.

Meanwhile the Steinenvorstadt district, known for its bars and cinemas, will be transformed into "Eurovision Street."

"It is a great honor for Basel to be able to host the world's biggest live music event!" said Conradin Cramer, president of the Basel city authority.

On the River Rhine, Basel is an international hub for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, hosting the headquarters of Novartis and Roche.

But it also has its cultural side, with several internationally-renowned museums, and the annual Art Basel event, the world's top contemporary art fair.