Olympic and World Champions and medalists are coming together one more time at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 in Prague, Czechia, to celebrate the grand finale of a spectacular season. Skaters are coming off Olympic success or looking for redemption while rising stars are eager to leave their mark. Expect a thrilling competition at the highest level, presented in an engaging way for the ultimate experience on-site and on screens and be entertained by captivating and beautiful performances. Among the top stars hitting the ice are Olympic Champions   Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron, two-time and reigning ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin, three-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto, Olympic medalists such as Yuma Kagiyama, Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava and Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier. To cap it off, find out who will be honored at the ISU Figure Skating Awards 2026. 

“Quad God” Ilia Malinin is back

The “Quad God” is back! Defending ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) is looking for redemption after the Olympic Games did not go his way. Nevertheless, Malinin is the hot favorite in Prague and ready to challenge again but the rivals are waiting for their chance and the event looks wide open. 

Two-time ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) comes to Prague looking for redemption ©ISU

• Malinin is the only skater to have a quad Axel in his arsenal, however, he impresses not only with his jumps and acrobatic moves but also with his entertaining programs. He tops the seasons’ best list with 333.81 points.
• Yuma Kagiyama (JPN/seasons best 302.41 points): The Japanese Champion comes off a second Olympic silver medal. He has collected three silver medals at the ISU World Championships as well and is hungry for gold.
• Shun Sato (JPN/seasons best 292.08 points): Following his bronze medal from Milano Cortina, Sato is aiming at his first World podium.
• Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA/seasons best 280.95 points): The 2024 ISU World bronze medalist aka “Mr. Backlip” wants to prove himself again after missing the Olympic podium.

The deep field in the Men’s features more strong contenders including the surprise fifth-place finisher from Milano Cortina Stephen Gogolev (CAN), ISU Four Continents Champion Kao Miura (JPN), 2026 ISU European Champion Nika Egadze (GEO), 2025 ISU European Champion Lukas Britschgi (SUI), ISU Grand Prix finalist Kevin Aymoz (FRA) and Daniel Grassl (ITA). The Czech team features reigning ISU European bronze medalist Georgii Reshtenko, the first Czech skater to earn a medal at the ISU European Championships in 13 years. 

Sakamoto aiming at a fourth World gold to close out her career

It will be emotional to watch three-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan competing one last time. The Japanese star is going for a fourth ISU World title to close out her amazing career in style. 

Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) is going after a fourth World title to close out an amazing career  ©ISU

• Sakamoto earned the silver medal in MilanoCortina and leads the seasons best list with 227.18 points.
• Ami Nakai (JPN/seasons best 227.08 points): The newcomer of the year wants to follow up on her Olympic bronze medal in her World Championship debut.
• Amber Glenn (USA/seasons best 214.91 points): The US Champion has set her eyes firmly on the World podium. She comes armed with a big triple Axel.
• Mone Chiba (JPN/seasons best 217.88 points): The reigning ISU World bronze medalist is ready to challenge for a World medal again.
• Niina Petrokina (EST/seasons best 216.14 points): The two-time ISU European Champion has the chance to become the first Estonian to win an ISU World Championship medal in any discipline at the senior level. Following a strong showing at the Olympic Games, Petrokina is heading to Prague full of confidence.

There are more excellent women that want to step it up in Prague: 2024 ISU World silver medalist Isabeau Levito (USA), 2023 ISU World silver medalist Haein Lee (KOR), 2023 ISU European Champion Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO), Jia Shin (KOR), 2026 ISU European bronze medalist Lara Naki Gutmann (ITA) and Sofia Samodelkina (KAZ).

Exciting battle for the ISU World title in the Pairs

One thing is sure: New ISU World Champions will be crowned in the Pairs event. Several top teams have medal ambitions and it will be an exciting battle. 

Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava (GEO) have set their eyes on the top of the World podium ©ISU

• Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava (GEO/seasons best 225.20 points): Following their historic silver medal at the Olympic Games and their victory at the ISU European Championships, the Georgians are the team to beat in Prague.
• Minerva Hase & Nikita Volodin (GER/seasons best 221.38) The Olympic bronze medalists have already a silver and a bronze from Worlds and are eager to complete their collection with the gold.
• Maria Pavlova & Alexei Sviatchenko (HUN/seasons best 215.26 points). The 2026 ISU European bronze medalists were just a step away from the Olympic podium in MilanoCortina in fourth place and aim at the first ISU World medal for a Hungarian Pair Skating team since 1955 and the first World medal in any discipline since 1980.
• Alisa Efimova & Misha Mitrofanov (USA/seasons best 205.49 points): The reigning ISU Four Continents Champions were not eligible to compete at the Olympic Games due to lack of citizenship but they are ready to shine in Prague.

Other contenders include 2025 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Lia Pereira & Trennt Michaud (CAN), the up and coming Jiaxuan Zhang & Yihang Huang (CHN), two-time ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan & Spencer Akira Howe (USA), reigning ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Yuna Nagaoka & Sumitada Moriguchi (JPN) and Annika Hocke & Robert Kunkel (GER).

Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron aiming for gold in World Championship debut

Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron continue to amaze in their first season as a team. After taking Olympic gold in MilanoCortina and the European title, the French Ice Dancers are aiming at the top spot on the podium in Prague. 

Olympic Champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) will compete for gold in Prague ©ISU

• Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron lead the seasons best standings with 225.82 points and after striking Olympic gold are eager to step on to the ice again in Prague to enchant the audience.
• Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN/seasons best 217.74 points): Coming off a high from MilanoCortina, the Olympic bronze medalists are looking to challenge the leaders and to add another World medal to their illustrious resume.
• Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson (GBR/seasons best 210.24 points): The team is aiming at repeating their success from a year ago when they became the first British skaters to win a World medal since the legendary Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean in 1984.
• Emilea Zingas & Vadym Kolesnik (USA/seasons best 206.72 points): This young couple wants to continue their rise this season following their victory at the ISU Four Continents Championships and their fifth place finish at the Olympic Games.

Other top Ice Dance couples to watch include 2025 ISU European silver medalists Evgeniia Lopareva/ Geoffrey Brissaud (FRA), two-time ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN), 2025 ISU Grand Prix finalists Allison Reed/Saulius Ambrulevicius (LTU) and Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck (ESP).

What & When 

The schedule of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 is as follows:

Wednesday, March 25: Women’s & Pairs Short Programs
Thursday, March 26: Men’s Short Program & Pairs Free Skating
Friday, March, 27: Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 28: Men’s Free Skating & Free Dance
Sunday, March 29:  Exhibition Gala & ISU Figure Skating Awards

A total of 173 Skaters representing 39 countries have been entered for the Championships: 39 Men, 33 Women, 21 Pairs and 31 Ice Dance couples. Prague hosts the ISU World Championships for the third time after 1993 and 1962.

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 and the official event website. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating. 

Where to watch the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026:

Find all the relevant information about watching the ISU Figure Skating World in the Where to Watch news. 

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