The Eurovision Song Contest is back. Here's how and who to watch

LONDON (AP) — The Eurovision party is officially underway: a week of power pop, outrageous outfits — and, inevitably, protests — that culminates in the final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night.

Competitors representing 37 countries are in the Swiss city of Basel for disco diplomacy and one of the world’s biggest spectacles. Organizers say last year’s final was watched by more than 160 million people — a guilty pleasure for some, an unabashed joy for others.

Here’s how and what to watch:

This year’s contest is in Switzerland because Swiss singer Nemo won the contest last year with the operatic anthem “The Code.” Basel, which borders Germany and France, was chosen as the host city.

Countries from across Europe — and a few beyond, like Israel and Australia — have sent an act to Eurovision. The performers will take the stage at St. Jakobshalle arena in semifinals on Tuesday and Thursday that will choose 20 acts to go through to the final.

The “Big Five” of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K., along with host Switzerland, automatically qualify for the final.

The competition will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and in many countries on the Eurovision YouTube channel.

Bars and clubs in many European cities will show the final at parties.

Halfdan Helgi Matthiasson, representing Iceland as half of sibling duo VAEB, said his family watches the classic, way, “sitting on a sofa with popcorn and snacks.”

Croatian contestant Marko Bošnjak said he was usually “the person who was hosting the Eurovision parties and forcing everybody to give me their scores and papers," adding: “It’s my Olympics. I live for this.”

Adonxs, this year’s competitor from Czechia, has fond memories of working in a London pub where staff were body-painted in the colors of a national flag.

“I did get an allergic reaction on my face the next morning, which I did not appreciate,” he said. “But yeah, I guess it was worth it.”

During and immediately after the semifinals and final, viewers in participating countries can vote by phone, text message or the Eurovision app — but not for their own country. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online at www.esc.vote or with the app. The combined “rest of the world” vote is given the weight of one individual country.

The semifinals are decided by public vote, and viewers can only vote in the semifinal their country is participating in.

For the final, the winner is decided by a complex mix of public voting and points from juries of music industry professionals in all the participating countries. The juries allocate between one and 12 points to their favorite songs, with an announcer from each country popping up to declare which has been granted the coveted “douze points” (12 points).

Public and jury votes are combined to give each country a single score. Ending up with “nul points” (zero points) is considered a national embarrassment.

Betting odds make Sweden the strong favorite with “Bara Bada Bastu,” an upbeat ode to sauna culture performed by the trio KAJ.

Favorites have tended to win in recent years, but that isn’t always the case.

Other strong contenders, according to bookmakers, include classically trained Austrian singer JJ’s “popera” song “Wasted Love,” French singer Louane’s ballad “maman,” Dutch entry Claude’s “C’est La Vie” and Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack, with “New Day Will Rise.”

Israel has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years, and won four times. But last year’s event in the Swedish city of Malmo drew large demonstrations calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza.

More than 70 former participants, including 2017 winner Salvador Sobral from Portugal, 2023 U.K. entry Mae Muller and La Zarra, who competed for France in 2023, signed a letter calling for Israel to be excluded. They noted that Russia has been banned since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, pointed out that Israel is represented by its public broadcaster, KAN, not the government.

Several of the national broadcasters that fund Eurovision, including those of Spain, Ireland and Iceland, have called for a discussion about Israel’s participation.

After tensions ran high last year, with the expulsion of the Dutch contestant over a backstage altercation, the EBU tightened the contest’s code of conduct, calling on participants to respect Eurovision’s values of “universality, diversity, equality and inclusivity” and its political neutrality.

It has barred performers from waving flags, other than national ones, onstage or in other on-camera areas. But some delegations have protested that effectively bans LGBTQ+ pride flags from an event with a huge gay following.

Audience members will be allowed more leeway, however, after controversy last year after a ban on Palestinian flags.

Associated Press journalists Hilary Fox and Kwiyeon Ha contributed to this story.

Marko Bosnjak from Croatia performs the song "Poison Cake" during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Theo Evan from Cyprus performs the song "Shh" during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Gabry Ponte from San Marino performs the song "Tutta L'Italia" during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Kyle Alessandro from Norway performs the song 'Lighter' during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Red Sebastian from Belgium performs the song "Strobe Lights" during the dress rehearsal for the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Netherlands' Claude poses for a photo, during the opening ceremony of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Austria's JJ poses for a photo, during the opening ceremony of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Israel's Yuval Raphael poses for a photo, during the opening ceremony of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Pro Palestinian protesters demonstrate, during the opening ceremony of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, May 11, 2025. Sign read, '11th Commandment: Israel is allowed to do everything.' (Georgios Kefalas/Keystone via AP)

Sweden's KAJ pose for a photo, during the opening ceremony of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Arsenal ensured it will end the year top of the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 4-1 at home in a powerful statement win on Tuesday with all goals scored in the second half.

The fourth goal, scored by substitute Gabriel Jesus one minute after coming on, highlighted the depth of Arsenal's bench this season and coach Mikel Arteta jubilantly high-fived his assistants at the final whistle.

Victory moved Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City, which plays at Sunderland on New Year's Day, and six points clear of third-place Villa.

Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth; Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley; and Manchester United was held 1-1 at home to rock-bottom Wolverhampton.

Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

No Arsenal player is near the top of the scorers’ charts this season, yet sharing the goals around might just be the team’s strength.

Defender Gabriel Magalhães headed home early in the second half following a corner for set-piece specialist Arsenal, and midfielder Martín Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.

Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th and was involved in the fourth goal, curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th minute by Jesus after Arsenal had launched a superb counterattack from deep.

The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal was missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa was playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.

Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with his elbow.

Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Ødegaard expertly won the ball in midfield and advanced before threading a perfect ball behind Villa’s defense.

Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.

Bournemouth's David Brooks netted early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.

Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th with a penalty awarded after a video review ruled that Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevão’s leg.

Midfielder Enzo Fernández gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post for 2-2.

Chelsea is fifth and level on 30 points with United in sixth.

Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th but Ladislav Krejčí equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.

It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards' first point since taking charge in November.

Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.

Yoane Wissa grabbed his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th spot.

Newcastle was 2-0 up inside seven minutes with Joelinton being set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.

Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.

Next-to-last Burnley is two points behind West Ham in 18th.

Everton netted in the 19th when James Garner drilled in a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.

Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.

West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paquetá’s exquisite through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.

Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season, and then hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty later in the first half.

Paquetá converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joël Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st following a corner.

Defending champion Liverpool hosts Leeds on Thursday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrates after he scored the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Chelsea's Joao Pedro, top, helps Wesley Fofana stand up after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal's Gabriel, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)