Overview

• The first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest took place on May 13 in Basel, Switzerland, featuring 15 countries competing for 10 final spots.
• Finalists include Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal, and Ukraine, as announced during the live broadcast.
• Sweden's entry, a comedic and choreographed performance by KAJ with their sauna-themed song 'Bara bada bastu,' remains a crowd favorite and a strong contender.
• Countries eliminated from the first semi-final include Cyprus, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Slovenia, despite some being considered potential finalists by bookmakers.
• The second semi-final, scheduled for May 15, will see 16 countries vie for the remaining 10 spots in the grand final, which will feature 26 acts in total.