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Sweden draws number 23 – ESC fans suspect a conspiracy!
On May 17, 2025, the allocation of starting numbers at the ESC will cause controversy, while Sweden and Austria will be the focus.
Sweden draws number 23 – ESC fans suspect a conspiracy!
The 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) will take place in Basel, Switzerland on May 17, 2025. This traditional music event, which first took place in 1956, attracts millions of spectators worldwide every year. Organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and with participants from numerous nations, the competition is judged by an international jury and television viewers. Despite a slight decline in global ratings, which were around 163 million viewers in 2024, the ESC remains a significant TV highlighthttps://de.statista.com/themen/9420/eurovision-song-contest/.
The anticipation for the event is heightened by a controversy over the starting numbers. Fans raise their voices and suspect a possible conspiracy on the part of the Swedish ESC officials. Over the past 20 years, winners of the competition have mostly had double-digit bib numbers, with the exception of Loreen, who triumphed in 2023 with a lower number. Austria's favorite, the singer JJ, has the starting number 9 for his ballad "Wasted Love" and is seen by some as disadvantaged, while Sweden was assigned the starting number 23, which is considered to be advantageoushttps://www.oe24.at/leute/kultur/song-contest/esc-aufreger-fans-wittern-schweden-verschwoerung/633621353.
The allocation of start numbers
The allocation of starting places takes place after the semi-finals, in which each nation draws a lot. This decides whether they appear in the “first” or “second half”, or whether a “producer decision” is made. The latter allows the organizers to act strategically and guarantee a balanced order. Sweden made this producer decision, which resulted in starting number 23. Critics also note that Austria's JJ and its starting position are unfavorable, while Israel and Estonia were placed at the tophttps://www.oe24.at/leute/kultur/song-contest/esc-aufreger-fans-wittern-schweden-verschwoerung/633621353.
The intensity of the discussion about the starting numbers shows how important the competition is to the fans. However, so far there is no evidence to support the conspiracy theories. The ESC remains a platform for artists from different countries, with Sweden and Ireland as the most successful nations in the competition, each with seven winshttps://de.statista.com/themen/9420/eurovision-song-contest/.
This year the duo Abor & Tynna will compete in Germany with the song “Baller”. After a series of disappointing placings since 2019, in 2023 Isaak was able to achieve the best German placing since Michael Schulte in 2018. Hopes now rest on the duo as fans eagerly await the big nighthttps://de.statista.com/themen/9420/eurovision-song-contest/.