Basel Prepares for Eurovision 2025 as Ticket Sales Begin

The 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel has officially launched its first wave of ticket sales, marking a significant milestone in Switzerland's preparation for hosting the prestigious event. Starting Wednesday at 10am, registered fans can purchase tickets ranging from 40 to 350 Swiss Francs. The ticketing system has implemented strict measures to ensure fair distribution, with approximately half a million pre-registrations processed. To combat scalping, each registered user can only purchase up to four tickets through ticketcorner.ch using their unique access code.

In a symbolic ceremony at Basel's Kunstmuseum, Malmö officially passed the Eurovision baton to Basel. The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of Nemo's iconic coat, now bearing the inscription 'From Malmö to Basel with Love.' The handover included the crucial semi-final allocation draw, with Swiss public set to vote in the first semi-final. Malmö's parliament president Carina Nilsson emphasized the importance of maintaining Eurovision's values of democracy and human rights, while Basel-Stadt government president Conradin Cramer expressed gratitude for the strong public support shown in last November's vote.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will culminate in the grand final on May 17 at 9pm, hosted in Basel's St. Jakobshalle near the German border. The event comprises nine shows in total, including rehearsals, scheduled for afternoons and evenings. The venue has been prepared to accommodate approximately 60,000 spectators across all shows. The European Broadcasting Union has confirmed that additional ticket sales dates will be announced, and a dedicated platform for official ticket resale will be established to ensure fair pricing and prevent scalping.

For fans unable to secure tickets to the main event, Basel has organized an extensive public viewing experience at St. Jakob-Park stadium, accommodating 36,000 spectators. Tickets for this alternative viewing experience will be available from January 30 without pre-registration requirements. The stadium event will feature a special 90-minute pre-show, including a performance by Baby Lasagna, the Croatian runner-up from Eurovision 2024. This public viewing initiative demonstrates Basel's commitment to making the Eurovision experience accessible to a wider audience.