The European Broadcasting Union has confirmed a new format for announcing semi-final qualifiers at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The change will focus more on the delegations and improve fairness in on-screen representation during the reveal.
At a media briefing in Basel, Eurovision organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and SRG SSR revealed that the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 semi-finals will introduce a new way of announcing the ten qualifying countries. For the first nine qualifiers, the broadcast will show three countries on a split-screen, with one of them revealed as the next finalist. The tenth and final qualifier will be announced live by the hosts.
This system aims to balance the airtime given to each delegation and build more anticipation across the sequence.
A move away from last year’s method
In previous years, qualifiers were announced with shots of various delegations in the green room, sometimes causing confusion and repeated focus on certain countries. The new method ensures that no country is shown more than three times during the announcement sequence, promoting a more balanced and engaging presentation.
The updated format was tested during the first and second Dress Rehearsals for Semi-Final 1, held on 12 May in Basel. Fans will soon experience this new approach when it debuts during the live shows.
https://youtu.be/Aw8iRs6TPeo
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 takes place at the St. Jakobshalle Arena in Basel, with the semi-finals scheduled for 13 and 15 May, and the Grand Final on 17 May.
