Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Overview of the performance of Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Switzerland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 63 times since its debut at the first contest in 1956, missing only four contests: 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2003. Switzerland hosted the first contest in 1956 in Lugano, where it also won. The country claimed its second victory in 1988, 32 years after the first, and its third in 2024, 36 years after the second win.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2013) |
Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest | |
---|---|
Participating broadcaster | Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) |
Participation summary | |
Appearances | 63 (53 finals) |
First appearance | 1956 |
Highest placement | 1st: 1956, 1988, 2024 |
Host | 1956, 1989, 2025 |
External links | |
Switzerland's page at Eurovision.tv | |
For the most recent participation see Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 |
Lys Assia won the inaugural contest in 1956 with the song "Refrain" and returned to place second in 1958. Switzerland achieved second place with Esther Ofarim (1963) and Daniela Simmons (1986), and third place with Franca di Rienzo (1961) and Arlette Zola (1982). The country won for the second time in 1988 with Céline Dion and the song "Ne partez pas sans moi". Annie Cotton secured Switzerland's 15th top-five finish by placing third in 1993.
Since the introduction of the qualifying round in 1993, Switzerland has reached the top ten only four times. Since the semi-final round's inception in 2004, the country has failed to reach the final in 11 of 19 contests, finishing last in the semi-final on four occasions. Switzerland returned to the top five after 26 years when Luca Hänni finished fourth in 2019, achieving the country's 16th top-five result. This was followed by Gjon's Tears placing third in 2021, marking the 17th top-five finish. Switzerland won the contest for the third time in 2024 with Nemo and the song "The Code". The country has also finished last in the semi-finals four times since 2004, with Piero and the MusicStars (2004), Michael von der Heide (2010), Mélanie René (2015), and Rykka (2016).