Ukraine secured ninth place in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 final, a result that extends the country’s unbroken run of top-ten finishes but falls short of the higher rankings achieved in recent years. The outcome carries implications for the nation’s public broadcaster, the winning band, and Ukraine’s broader cultural diplomacy efforts.
The competition, held in Basel, Switzerland, concluded on May 17, 2025, with 26 finalists. Ukraine’s entry, the band Ziferblat, performed seventh in the final running order. The group—comprising Danylo Leshchynskyi, Fedir Khodakov, and Valentyn Leshchynskyi, who also wrote the song—had earlier competed in the first semi-final on May 13.
Performing 15th in that round, they earned 137 points, placing tenth and securing a spot in the final. For the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, Suspilne, the result validates the selection process that began months earlier.
The broadcaster launched an open call for entries on September 17, 2024, with applications accepted until November 10, 2024. From that pool, 20 entries were longlisted, later narrowed to nine after auditions. The national final, Vidbir 2025, selected Ziferblat and their song “Bird of Pray.” Suspilne now has concrete data from the contest: a tenth-place semi-final finish and a ninth-place overall result.
This information will inform decisions about whether to maintain the current format or introduce adjustments for Vidbir 2026. The ninth-place finish does not match Ukraine’s recent history of top-five placements or outright victories.
The gap between ninth and first place is significant, and other nations, including smaller countries with fewer resources, have narrowed that distance. While the top-ten streak remains intact, the result signals a less dominant position than in previous years. For Ziferblat, the immediate benefits include substantial international exposure.
Their performance in the final was watched by millions, which can translate into increased streaming numbers, tour opportunities, and interest from international music markets. The band members are now recognized outside Ukraine, a tangible gain from their ninth-place finish.
However, “Bird of Pray” is unlikely to achieve the lasting recognition of past Ukrainian Eurovision entries, as it lacked a defining viral moment. The broader impact touches Ukraine’s use of Eurovision as a soft-power tool for cultural diplomacy. A high finish projects resilience and cultural vitality, but ninth place achieves this with less force than a win or top-three result. The Ukrainian music industry will also watch closely.
The nine shortlisted artists from Vidbir 2025 now have a platform to build domestic followings or pursue international deals. The open application period for Vidbir 2026 is expected to open in September 2025, and prospective artists will study Ziferblat’s trajectory as both a realistic target and a cautionary example of a crowded, competitive field.
The 137 semi-final points and the ninth-place final finish are now established facts that will be referenced in future discussions about Ukraine’s Eurovision strategy. Suspilne will review every stage of the selection process, from auditions to the longlist and shortlist, to determine whether changes are needed. The result is acceptable but not transformative.
