The curtain rises tonight at 22:00 for the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, with the first semi-final taking place in Basel, Switzerland, and Cyprus represented by Theo Evan. The artist will perform the song “Shh”, taking the stage as the final act of the evening — a spot often considered advantageous.

Also performing tonight will be this year’s top favorite, Sweden, represented by KAJ with the song “Bara Bada Bastu”. The first semi-final will determine the 10 countries that will qualify for Saturday’s grand final, in an evening filled with diverse musical styles and fierce competition.

A total of 15 countries are participating in tonight’s semi-final. Additionally, the representatives of three countries that have already secured a place in the final — Spain, Italy, and the host country Switzerland — will also appear on stage, though not competing. The so-called “Big Five” — France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom — along with Switzerland, automatically qualify for the final on Saturday, May 17.

Watch videos of the songs competing in the first semi-final.

The countries competing for a place in the Grand Final (running order, country, artist, song):

1. Iceland – VAEB – Roa
2. Poland – Justyna Steczkowska – Gaja
3. Slovenia – Klemen – How Much Time Do We Have Left
4. Estonia – Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato
5. Ukraine – Ziferblat – Bird of Pray
6. Sweden – KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu
7. Portugal – Napa – Deslocado
8. Norway – Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
9. Belgium – Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights
10. Azerbaijan – Mamagama – Run With U
11. San Marino – Gabry Ponte – Tutta l’Italia
12. Albania – Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm
13. Netherlands – Claude – C’est la vie
14. Croatia – Marko Bošnjak – Poison Cake
15. Cyprus – Theo Evan – Shh

Which countries are expected to qualify for the final – What the betting odds show

According to betting predictions, the following 10 countries have the highest chances of qualifying from the first semi-final:

1. Sweden – KAJ (95%)
2. Estonia – Tommy Cash (94%)
3. Ukraine – Ziferblat (94%)
4. Netherlands – Claude (94%)
5. Albania – Shkodra Elektronike (93%)
6. Cyprus – Theo Evan (85%)
7. Norway – Kyle Alessandro (84%)
8. Poland – Justyna Steczkowska (83%)
9. Belgium – Red Sebastian (77%)
San Marino – Gabry Ponte (52%)

The remaining entries — including those from Slovenia, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Portugal, and Croatia — show significantly lower chances of qualifying according to the same predictions.

For the first time, the contest includes full Greek Sign Language interpretation and no commercial breaks

This year’s major innovation concerns the broadcast and accessibility of the contest: both semi-finals and the grand final will be aired live on ERT1, broadcast on the Second Radio Programme 103.7, and — for the first time in the history of Eurovision in Greece — the contest will be fully accessible to everyone via ERTFLIX, featuring complete Greek Sign Language interpretation and no commercial interruptions, through the platform’s special Eurovision Channel.

There are also changes to the voting system: the songs that qualify from each semi-final will be determined solely by public vote. For the first time, Greek audiences can cast their votes online via www.esc.vote, in addition to the traditional methods of phone calls and SMS.

Tonight’s show is expected to be full of spectacle and stage surprises, with strong interest in Cyprus’s entry. The song “Shh”, created by a team of renowned composers including Dimitris Kontopoulos and Elsie Bay, is aiming for qualification in one of the most competitive semi-finals in recent years.