Today, Swiss Basel officially opens Eurovision – 2025, turning into the main music arena of Europe. In a few hours, the city will host the first semi-final of the competition, which traditionally combines shows, geopolitics and significant financial investments. This year’s organization will cost Basel approximately 39 million euros. It’s not just the stage, lights and sound, but a whole logistics ecosystem: security, staff training, transport, infrastructure modernization, media support and marketing. Months of preparation, thousands of involved professionals and hundreds of millions of viewers around the world are behind several musical evenings.
Millions per song: why countries invest so much in Eurovision
In general, Eurovision costs always vary depending on the country, the format of the event and the ambitions of the organizers. The absolute record holder in terms of cost still remains Azerbaijan, which in 2012 spent more than 60 million euros on the competition. And this is only a direct amount – separately financed megaprojects for the improvement of Baku: new roads, reconstruction of the stadium, construction of the Baku Crystal Hall arena, which was completed just a few weeks before the start of the show.
Other countries were more frugal. For example, Malmö in Sweden held a competition in 2013 for 17 million euros, and in 2024 – for only 12 million euros. Despite the modest budget, the city managed to organize a bright show at “Malmo Arena”, spending, in particular, 2 million euros on security and 580,000 euros on the Eurovision Village fan zone.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
Copenhagen in 2014 attempted a larger format – 45 million euros, while Vienna in 2015 was limited to 35 million. Stockholm, where the Ukrainian Jamala won in 2016 with the song “1944”, invested 14 million euros in the competition – and proved that more expensive does not always mean better.
Jamala’s victory made Kyiv the host of Eurovision 2017 – then the International Exhibition Center became the stage, and the organization cost 30 million euros. In subsequent years, the costs were approximately at the same level: Lisbon (2018) – 23 million, Tel Aviv (2019) – 29 million, Rotterdam (2021) – 19 million, Turin (2022) – 22 million.
Due to the war in Ukraine, Eurovision 2023 could not take place in our country, so it was hosted by Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine. The UK staged a €28 million show, highlighting the role of cultural solidarity in wartime.
This year, the group Ziferblat won the right to represent Ukraine with the song “Bird of Pray” – a penetrating composition that combines electronics with lyrical drama. They will perform already in the first semi-final on May 13 under number five.
And the grand finale is scheduled for Saturday, May 17 – that’s when we’ll find out which country will next host this great European musical event. And while sums in the millions of euros always raise questions, one thing is clear: Eurovision is not only a song contest, but also a demonstration of soft power in diplomacy, cultural identity and the ability of a country to put on a show for the whole world to see.
From a post-war telebridge to a global phenomenon: how Eurovision was transformed
The history of Eurovision began with a dream – with the idea to unite European countries after the Second World War, not through political agreements, but through music. In 1956, the first song contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland, in which only seven countries took part. It was more than a show – it was a symbol of faith in a new Europe, where conflicts are replaced by creative competition, and national borders are replaced by a wave of melodies, languages and emotions.
Over the decades, Eurovision has turned into a mirror of cultural shifts, technological innovations and even political attitudes. Over the years, not only the format has changed – semi-finals, televoting, fan zones, digital broadcasts have appeared – the very idea of what this competition is has also changed.
On the one hand, it is a bright platform for young artists, where viewers from all over Europe discover new names, for example: ABBA, Celine Dion, Måneskin or Kalush Orchestra. On the other hand, it is a platform for cultural diplomacy, where states try to speak to the international community through music, costumes, sign language and symbols.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
After the 2010s, Eurovision increasingly goes beyond Europe. It is watched in Australia, the USA, even in Asia, and the participation of Australia itself does not surprise anyone. The competition has become a global cultural brand, which is not afraid of provocations and outrage, but at the same time remains devoted to the main thing – the celebration of unity through music.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the 2020 competition and a reduction in the 2021 competition. Since 2022, Russia and Belarus have been excluded due to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Some countries (North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria) temporarily refused to participate due to financial or political reasons.
Currently, a stable participation of 37 countries is expected in 2025 — an indicator that shows the continued interest in the competition despite new challenges.
With the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, the role of Eurovision has again intensified: it is no longer just a show. The victory of the Kalush Orchestra and the fact that Britain held the contest on behalf of Ukraine in 2023 showed that Eurovision can be not only a musical event, but also an act of solidarity and support.
Eurovision has long ceased to be about a song of one evening. This is a story about how culture can unite where politics divides. About how in times of crisis we are still ready to listen to each other – even through headphones, even from a screen, even in other languages.
Social messages in Eurovision discourse: between stage and society
Despite its declared apolitical nature, Eurovision has long ceased to be just a music show. Every year, the scene of the competition more and more vividly reflects the social and cultural processes taking place in Europe and beyond. The song discourse of the competition has gradually transformed into a space where topics related not only to art, but also to society are heard.
One of the most vivid examples was the performance of the Austrian singer Conchita Wurst in 2014. Her image and song Rise Like a Phoenix caused a wide discussion of issues of gender identity, tolerance and the rights of the LGBT community. It proved that Eurovision can serve as a platform to express a position on discrimination and social rejection.
In 2016, Jamala represented Ukraine with the composition “1944”, which touched on the subject of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars by the Soviet regime. The song, although it was presented as a personal story, caused a discussion about the political component of the performance and the limits of what was allowed at the competition. Nevertheless, it was this composition that brought victory to Ukraine, which demonstrated the support of the audience and the jury for a complex historical theme.
In 2022, the Kalush Orchestra combined a personal story with the realities of a full-scale war in Ukraine with the song “Stefania”. The composition became not only a piece of music, but also an emotional appeal to the international community. This confirmed that in the conditions of a military or humanitarian crisis, the Eurovision stage can acquire the function of a symbolic representation of national pain and resistance.
Individual songs of the participants touched on other topics as well: social isolation, women’s rights, emigration, racial discrimination. Often, these themes are embodied in a metaphorical form, which makes it possible to avoid direct politicization, while maintaining meaningful depth.
Thus, Eurovision is not only a stage for music, but also a space for social reflection. Through song, visuals, context and delivery, contestants are able to express a position that resonates with an audience of millions, while promoting conversation about important topics beyond the show.
