What if Geneva hosted the next Eurovision contest? This project could become reality with Switzerland’s victory this weekend thanks to Nemo and his song The Code. Palexpo is in the starting blocks: the complex has already submitted an application file.
This has not happened since 1988 and Céline Dion’s victory under the Swiss flag. The artist Nemo, from Bienne, won first place at Eurovision with his song The Code.
The performer therefore brings home the cup, but also the next edition of the competition: in 2025, Eurovision will take place in Switzerland. The SSR is responsible for organizing the show. “The specifications are enormous, we received almost a book for that. It’s obviously the big cities that are high on the list, like Geneva, Zurich, Basel…” says Nik Leuenberger, spokesperson for the SSR.
“We are used to this type of demonstration”
As soon as Nemo won, Palexpo expressed its interest: the Geneva complex offered to make its three convention centers, its 32,000 square meters, and its experience available to the televised mega-show: “We host major events whether it be a horse show, a supercross, the Pope’s mass… This occasion also brought together 60,000 people. We are used to this type of event,” explains Claude Meilleurz, general director of Palexpo.
“It would allow Geneva to profile itself”
The CEO is very enthusiastic about the idea of hosting Eurovision 2025: “It would allow Geneva to profile itself, to promote our canton. It’s another way of showing that we know how to welcome people,” he rejoices.
An opinion shared by Genève Tourisme. The Foundation emphasizes that the canton has a hotel capacity of around 11,500 rooms. This is more than Basel, but significantly less than Zurich. The SSR should decide between the different applications by the end of the summer.
