The Malta Eurovision Song Contest will return with a live audience next year, marking a significant change from this year’s controversial edition. 

This year, winner Sarah Bonnici and the 11 other finalists performed without a live audience, with only the show's crew present at the TVM studios in Guardamangia.

The performances were pre-recorded in a “live on tape” format. Each singer performed three times on stage and selected their best take for broadcast.

On Tuesday, PBS published the regulations for the 2025 contest, confirming that both the semi-finals and the final will be televised and feature live performances in front of a studio audience. 

The finals and semi-finals will again be decided by a combination of jury and public votes.

The PBS COO previously explained that the decision to exclude a live audience this year was aimed at improving the experience for television viewers.

However, viewership numbers this year were significantly lower, with 132,000 people tuning in to watch Bonnici’s win, compared to 265,000 the previous year—more than half of Malta’s population.

The 2025 semi-finals are scheduled for February 4 and 6, with the final set for February 8. As always, the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in May, with next year’s edition to be held in Basel, Switzerland.

Interested applicants can submit their entries between November 18 and November 29.

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