As another year draws to a close and we all look forward to the Christmas festivities , it feels a long time ago since we were gathering in Basel for Eurovision 2025. After a difficult previous edition of the contest in Malmö in 2024, Switzerland managed to give us some enjoyable shows . With the much publicised cloud currently hanging over the contest for 2026 and five countries withdrawing from next year’s contest, including Ireland , we at Eurovision Ireland decided to take a look back at our positives of 2025. Here’s what we thought .

John-“I will remember the 2025 contest in Basel as the perfect antidote to the fun and games of 2024. Having been lucky enough to be there, I witnessed a city – Basel – that fully embraced the whole Eurovision experience. Shops were fully kitted out in themed window displays. The indoor Eurovision Village was a very good idea, and was full of curious locals and visitors, with loads of freebies. There was Eurovision music everywhere. I was also impressed with the combined Finnish/Swedish set up in one of Basel’s squares. You could take a (yksi, kaksi, kolme) sauna, and have a photo with a miniature Erika Vikman microphone. After what happened in Malmo, Basel brought the Contest more back on track. And for that, we must thank Switzerland.”

Richard– “My memories of Basel can be summed up by one word – ‘Innovation’. Outside of the Contest venue, the Swiss team were innovative by holding the EuroVillage and EuroClub both under the same roof, inside the same venue. The Basel weather in known to be unpredictable at times and hopefully future host cities will consider the ‘inside’ approach. I don’t think I’ve ever being inside a EuroVillage that has so much open space, but with all the normal food & drink stalls, merchandise stalls, sponsor stalls, stage etc. Inside the Contest venue, the Swiss team gave it a TV studio feel, rather than an arena feel. The giant LED frame in front of the stage gave the overall studio feel – not did I know until weeks after the Contest had taken place, but the LED frame was actually hiding two cement pillars, holding up the roof. We have to remember that the Eurovision Song Contest is a television show and the fans attending the event add to the atmosphere – but at the end of the day, it is a television show for viewers across Europe and beyond.”

Bogdan-“What really stood out for me in Basel this year was how many countries went back to singing in their own languages, it gave the whole show a different kind of energy, more personal and heartfelt. Seeing Iceland and Albania make it to the final was such a thrill, especially because their performances were not just technically strong, they were full of passion. You could tell the artists were genuinely having fun up there, smiling, moving with the crowd, and soaking in the moment. That sense of performers actually enjoying themselves made the night feel less like a competition and more like a big celebration, which is exactly why I have loved Eurovision all these years.”

James-“I think the thing I’ll remember Basel 2025 for most is the sense of fun – even though we had quite a serious-sounding ballad win with Austria’s JJ, the other songs on offer made up a nice range of pop fluff and Euro-cheese like the Eurovisions of old. Entries like those from Estonia (as much as I don’t like the song personally!!) Iceland, Finland, Malta (still makes me howl!!) Sweden… even to a lesser extent entries from the UK, Armenia and San Marino were quite tongue-in-cheek, lively and upbeat, something I feel like we’ve been missing in recent editions of the contest, especially in these numbers. In a world that’s becoming increasingly serious and overwhelming, a little 3 minutes of escapism is just what we need! In this vein, Made in Switzerland was utterly hilarious and the perfect interval act! Little wonder if became as popular as it did after being released on streaming platforms! For a country many would argue is know for being serious and stoic, this fun little romp through all things Swiss showed us a playful side to our host nation that I can’t imagine many Europeans were familiar with – but we certainly won’t forget in a hurry! Eurovision has had some iconic interval acts over the decades… Love Love Peace Peace, Riverdance, the Wombles… and now Made in Switzerland too. Lastly, I think Basel itself as a host city. For those of you that didn’t get there, it’s a lovely little place that feels more like a big town, with beautiful buildings, a very relaxed and laid back atmosphere and of course, one of Europe’s major waterways coursing right through its heart. But what also makes Basel unique is its location, right at the border with both Germany and France – both countries are within walking distance of downtown Basel (I know, I tried it!) and I think for a pan-European competition it’s wonderful to place it somewhere where borders, cultures and languages all intersect – the very essence of the Eurovision Song Contest!”

Sarah– “There’s really not much more that I can add that hasn’t been said already . From a personal point of view , I was very pleased to see Denmark at last qualifying for the Grand Final after 6 years away!I thought Sissal did an amazing job and was pleased that DR finally took note that the staging is as important to get right as the song itself !I thought overall, Basel did a sound job of hosting . I wasn’t able to get there this time but do have some memories of a visit there some years ago and thought it would be an ideal venue for the contest with access to the borders of Germany and France. I also liked the variety of acts with many songs being sung in the national languages of participating countries .”

What do you think ? Do you agree with our views of Eurovision 2025? What were the highlights of Eurovision 2025 for you?

Let us know what you think by leaving us a comment, either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

We at Eurovision Ireland would like to wish all our readers and Eurovision fans a very Happy Christmas and New Year 2026. In the meantime we will leave you with the reprise of this year’s winner JJ from Austria , with “Wasted Love”.

Author: Sarah Rudman

Source : Eurovision.TV ,YouTube