Entries/Quotas for 2026 Olympics

[gsk8]

Entries/Quotas for 2026 Olympics

A. Qualification Men, Women, Pair Skating & Ice Dance

Entries/Quota Places Entries/quota places will be determined in accordance with Rule 126, paragraph 2 of the ISU General Regulations, Rule 400 A., of the ISU Special Regulations and Technical Rules Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance 2024 as well as the Qualification System - Figure Skating approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The maximum number of entries/quota places for the Olympic Winter Games is twenty-nine (29) for Women and Men, nineteen (19) for Pair Skating and twenty-three (23) for Ice Dance. There are two different ways to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games:

1. Accumulation of points according to Rule 378, paragraph 3, and Rule 400, paragraph 3 for ISU Members/NOCs which have participated in the immediately preceding year’s ISU World Figure Skating Championships (Boston 2025, hereafter WC2025). According to Rule 400 A., paragraph 3, up to twenty-four (24) entries/quota places in the Single events (Women and Men), up to sixteen (16) in the Pair Skating event and up to nineteen (19) in the Ice Dance event will be determined according to the diagram outlined below. ISU Members/NOCs with only one entry/quota place are listed in order of their best-placed Skater in the WC2025. According to Rule 378, paragraph 3, the number of Skaters per discipline (Women, Men, Pair Skating, Ice Dance) an ISU Member/NOC may enter in the 2026 OWG is determined in accordance with the following diagram:

The above-mentioned points are calculated by the addition of placements at the WC2025. If an ISU Member/NOC had three (3) Skaters participating in the WC2025, only the two (2) best placed Competitors count for points.

As per Rule 400, paragraph 3, an ISU Member/NOC, who has earned the necessary points for two (2) or three (3) entries/quota places, must additionally have had two (2), respectively three (3) Skaters/Pairs/Couples qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance at WC2025 in order to have the right for two (2) respectively three (3) entries/quota places.

An ISU Member/NOC, who did not have two (2) respectively three (3) Skaters qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance at the WC2025 but would have earned the necessary points for two (2) respectively three (3) entries/quota places may enter one Skater, who, however, cannot be a Skater that had qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance at the World Senior Championships immediately preceding the OWG, to earn one additional entry/quota place in the Qualification Competition for the Olympic Winter Games (in Beijing / CHN, September 17 – 21, 2025) hereafter “the Qualifying Competition”.

2. Remaining entries/quota places: Rule 400 A., paragraph 3

According to Rule 400, paragraph 3, the remaining entries/quota places under this paragraph 3 will be attributed to the ISU Members/NOCs with the best placed and qualified Skaters in the Free Skating/Free Dance at WC2025.

3. Remaining open entries/quota places: Rule 400 A., paragraph 4

The remaining open entries/quota places available will be filled by ISU Members/NOCs in order of their placements at the Qualifying Competition.

The open entries/quota places are available only to:

• ISU Members/NOCs which have not previously earned an entry/quota place in the respective discipline (according to Rule 400, paragraphs 2 and 3), and only one (1) entry/quota place per discipline and ISU Member/NOC may be earned.​

• ISU Members/NOCs which have earned the necessary points for two (2) or three (3) entries/quota places but did not have two (2) respectively three (3) Skaters qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance at the WC2025 (according to Rule 400, paragraph 3). Those ISU Members/NOCs may enter one Skater in the Qualifying Competition who, however, cannot be a Skater that had qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance at the WC2025.​

​

4. ISU Members/NOCs having earned entries/quota places at the WC2025: Rule 400 A., paragraph 7

ISU Members/NOCs who have earned entries/quota places under the provisions of Rule 400 A., paragraphs 2 and 3, should, after consultation with their NOC (National Olympic Committee), inform the ISU Secretariat not later than two weeks after the publication of this Communication if they intend to use their full quota of entries/quota places. In the case that some ISU Members/NOCs do not intend to use their full quotas of entries/quota places, the remaining open entries/quota places available will be filled by increasing the number of entries/quota places according to Rule 400 A., paragraph 4.

ISU Members/NOCs not exercising the right to announce their participation: Rule 400 A., paragraph 8. In the event that ISU Members/NOCs do not exercise their right to announce their participation within the prescribed IOC date limit in accordance with Rule 400 A., paragraphs 3 to 5, stand-by entries/quota places will be chosen, based on the final results of the Qualifying Competition for those ISU Members/NOCs not qualified and not yet represented.

5. Entries/quota places earned by ISU Members/NOCs according to Rule 400 A., paragraphs 2 and 3

B. Figure Skating Team Event

According to the Qualification System for the Figure Skating Team Event, the following Teams have qualified for the Figure Skating Team Event at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, in Milano Cortina / ITA (in order of qualification):

a* JPN, FRA and GBR are considered as an incomplete, qualified Team. They can use the “additional athlete quota” (see paragraph 3 below) to complete their Team. JPN: 2 additional Athlete Quota for Ice Dance (2 Athletes) FRA: 2 additional Athlete Quota for Pair Skating (2 Athletes) GBR: 1 additional Athlete Quota for Men

b* KOR and POL are considered as an incomplete, qualified Team. However, since the five (5) “additional athlete quota” are given first to the best-ranked incomplete Teams (see a* above), KOR and POL cannot complete their Team. Should any of the higher-ranked incomplete Teams either earn a new entry spot to the Individual Event due to a replacement or not make use of the “additional athletes quota”, the remaining quota(s) would be given first to the best ranked incomplete Team (KOR, then POL).

x* These NOCs (GER, KAZ, SUI, BEL, HUN, FIN, ESP, EST, AUS, LTU, SVK, CZE, UKR, ISR) are ranked among the top Teams but do not fulfill the requirement to have an entry in at least 3 competitions/disciplines of the Individual Events. Consequently, they are not considered as a Team. However, should a late replacement be needed and one of these NOC will earn a new entry spot for an Individual Event which results in having entries in 3 competitions/disciplines, the Team would qualify and therefore, the last Team currently qualified (10. POL) would no longer be qualified for the Team Event.

C. Additional Athletes Quota

The Additional Athletes Quota of up to five (5) Skaters will be used as a priority for the Host Country quotas allocation if needed.

In addition, NOCs who do not have qualified Skaters/Couples in an individual OWG competition/discipline (Women Single Skating, Men Single Skating, Pair Skating, Ice Dance) may benefit of any remaining Additional Athlete Quota (after Host Country places are allocated) and enter into the Team Event with one (1) Skater/Couple. Preference is given to the bestranked “incomplete Teams” according to the ranking of the Figure Skating Team qualification list.

For more details regarding the Additional Athletes Quota, please refer to the Qualification System - Figure Skating available on our website.

D. Referees, Technical Controllers, Technical Specialists, Judges, Data Operators, Replay Operators for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance for the OWG 2026

The Judges’ draw in accordance with Rule 402, will be conducted on site of the ISU Olympic Qualifying Competition, Beijing / CHN, September 17-21, 2025. All other Officials will be appointed in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 2.f) of the ISU Constitution, Rules 121, 126 paragraph 9 and Rule 401.

 

[Ziotic]

So prediction on who qualifies those remaining spots?

 

[NanaPat]

So prediction on who qualifies those remaining spots?

Just to get the ball rollings:

Spots remaining
men 5
women 5
pairs 3
dance 4

in pairs, it's widely believed that 1 place will go to a Russian and one to a Chinese pair moving up to seniors next year.

There will be a number of skaters who were at Worlds who would be eligible for the qualifying competition.
17 UKR
19 FIN
20 SUI
21 FRA
22 JPN
23 AUT
I expect all those skaters to try at the qualifying comp (the actual skaters, not just the countries) plus a skater from the USA. GEO, HUN, AUS and UZB are all eligible to send a pair each, but I don't think they will, or the teams they send won't be competitive.

I think it will be one of the skaters we saw at Worlds who will grab the third spot: I give the edge to UKR, FRA, and JPN based on past performance and motivation.

 

[cocteautwin]

in pairs, it's widely believed that 1 place will go to a Russian and one to a Chinese pair moving up to seniors next year.

As for Chinese I believe they may send Sui with her new partner Li to get the spot. I saw some clips from training and their elements looked pretty solid.

 

[TontoK]

I expect all those skaters to try at the qualifying comp (the actual skaters, not just the countries) plus a skater from the USA. GEO, HUN, AUS and UZB are all eligible to send a pair each, but I don't think they will, or the teams they send won't be competitive.

I think it will be one of the skaters we saw at Worlds who will grab the third spot: I give the edge to UKR, FRA, and JPN based on past performance and motivation.

The one USA Pair that could seriously contend for that third spot might be Emily Chan and Spencer Howe. Couple of years ago, they were 5th in the world. They're injury prone, but a really excellent pair. If they manage to get it together healthwise, they're better than any of the three pairs you list in the second paragraph, and perhaps even better than the Chinese pair, of whom I have seen little.

US Nationals silver medalists McBeath and Parkman are also contenders... but I think he has citizenship issues, similar to Alisa Efimova.

As I wrote about on a different thread, Team USA will be fighting for that third Olympic spot while our current National Champs and runners-up are ineligible (at least for now). Think of the possibilities for next year... the fifth-place finishers at US Nationals could make the Olympic Team.

I disagree with your assessment that USFSA won't fight for that third spot. I think they absolutely will. It's their job. Nobody at USFSA is sitting around thinking, "Well, let's just sit this one out and concede that spot to the Japanese, French, or Ukrainians. We have enough already, so let them fight it out."

 

[4everchan]

The one USA Pair that could seriously contend for that third spot might be Emily Chan and Spencer Howe. Couple of years ago, they were 5th in the world. They're injury prone, but a really excellent pair. If they manage to get it together healthwise, they're better than any of the three pairs you list in the second paragraph, and perhaps even better than the Chinese pair, of whom I have seen little.

US Nationals silver medalists McBeath and Parkman are also contenders... but I think he has citizenship issues, similar to Alisa Efimova.

Parkman doesn't have citizenship issues. He lived in the USA as a kid.

As I wrote about on a different thread, Team USA will be fighting for that third Olympic spot while our current National Champs and runners-up are ineligible (at least for now). Think of the possibilities for next year... the fifth-place finishers at US Nationals could make the Olympic Team.

I disagree with your assessment that USFSA won't fight for that third spot. I think they absolutely will. It's their job. Nobody at USFSA is sitting around thinking, "Well, let's just sit this one out and concede that spot to the Japanese, French, or Ukrainians. We have enough already, so let them fight it out."

I think @NanaPat didn't say they wouldn't fight... but wouldn't be competitive.

I think the French will be extremely motivated to qualify... but that's just a feeling.

 

[TontoK]

Parkman doesn't have citizenship issues. He lived in the USA as a kid.

I think @NanaPat didn't say they wouldn't fight... but wouldn't be competitive.

I think the French will be extremely motivated to qualify... but that's just a feeling.

According to Wikipedia, and hey they're always right... Parkman was born in St Petersburg, moved to Seattle with family as a small child, and returned to Russia as a pre-teen. That doesn't sound "citizeny" to me. His article on Wikipedia describes his 2020 partnership with "fellow Russian" Metelkina - an announcement that included their intent to skate for Georgia... so if anyone can figure that out, they're smarter than I am.

I'm not sure if it's a citizenship issue (having lived here as a child does not mean he's a citizen). I know there's some problem, or there was... and it might be/was getting a release from Georgia. But there's some issue... although perhaps the release has been achieved.

I think this pair would certainly be less competitive than Chan/Howe, it's hard to say. Was their good performance at US Nationals a sign of a new team gelling? Or a fluke? We don't know. I posed the same question about Elisa/Misha, and that was answered emphatically.

Chan/Howe, if they are healthy, would absolutely be competitive for a top three placement at this qualifier. They really are outstanding, but man, his shoulder... based on history, I'd put their chances of being ready for a fight in Beijing at 50/50.

 

[NanaPat]

Chan/Howe, if they are healthy, would absolutely be competitive for a top three placement at this qualifier. They really are outstanding, but man, his shoulder... based on history, I'd put their chances of being ready for a fight in Beijing at 50/50.

I love Chan and Howe. He is extremely charismatic. Didn't he have shoulder surgery? If so, there is a good chance they could return to their Four Continents 2023 form.

 

[throw_triple_flip]

I wouldn't rule out the North Korean Pair team qualifying. They made a huge amount of progress inbetween their Challenger events and the Asian Winter Games (where they beat the second Japanese team and beat the Uzbek team in the free). They have the elements, if they can put it all together across two programs.

 

[Ziotic]

I also think Russia getting a spot as a forgone conclusion is questionable.

Remember, there are very specific rules about who will be allowed to participate.
Everyone seems to think M/G will be selected but I doubt they would be allowed.

 

[cocteautwin]

I also think Russia getting a spot as a forgone conclusion is questionable.

Remember, there are very specific rules about who will be allowed to participate.
Everyone seems to think M/G will be selected but I doubt they would be allowed.

If only ISU is going to follow protective measures and conditiosn they set seriously I don't see how Galiamov can be considered as compliant.

 

[snowflake]

Today is the last day to name the participants...

...not later than Friday, August 15, 2025 – 20:00 (local time Beijing).

Exciting!

 

[TT_Fin]

I wonder if Finland did screw up the deadline or did the fed do the announcement in time. There was told the selection will be decided after summer competition but it was just this weekend. But mostly seems it has been a disaster competition so I really don't care. Dr V has won, but with lowest TES.

 

[cocteautwin]

deleted [wrong thread]

 

[Jontor]

Entries for the Olympic Qualifying Event are up!

Skate to Milano - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

For women I think Hendrickx, Gubanova, Petrosian and Safonova are locked in. Maybe Taljegård, Gomez, Wories and Langerbaur might fight for the 5th spot?
For men I think Pitot, Gumennik, Kim, Carrillo will go through. But men's competition is wide open and anything can happen.

 

[snowflake]

Entries for the Olympic Qualifying Event are up!

Skate to Milano - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

For women I think Hendrickx, Gubanova, Petrosian and Safonova are locked in. Maybe Taljegård, Gomez, Wories and Langerbaur might fight for the 5th spot?
For men I think Pitot, Gumennik, Kim, Carrillo will go through. But men's competition is wide open and anything can happen.

Genrikh from Germany!

there is now a thread for the qualfier competition

 

[pearly]

Following the final qualifier event, the spot allocation is:

Women
3 spots: JPN, USA
2 spots: BEL, KOR, SUI
1 spot: AIN (Petrosian), AIN (Safonova), AUT, BUL, CAN, CHN, EST, FIN, FRA, GBR, GEO, ISR, ITA, KAZ, LTU, POL, ROU
1st alt: CYP
2nd alt: NOR
3rn alt: EST

Men
3 spots: JPN, USA
2 spots: FRA, ITA, KOR, LAT
1 spot: AIN (Gumennik), AZE, CAN, CHN, ESP, EST, GEO, KAZ, MEX, POL, SUI, SVK, SWE, TPE, UKR
1st alt: MON
2nd alt: FRA
3rd alt: CZE

Ice Dance
3 spots: CAN, USA
2 spots: CZE, ESP, FIN, FRA, GBR
1 spot: AUS, CHN, GEO, GER, ITA, KOR, LTU
1st alt: SWE
2nd alt: HUN
3rd alt: JPN

Pairs
2 spots: CAN, GER, ITA, JPN, USA
1 spot: ARM, AUS, CHN, GBR, GEO, HUN, NED, POL, UZB*
1st alt: FRA
2nd alt: UKR
3rd alt: USA

*Apparently, the UZB pair may have split.

Team event
Ten countries have qualified spots in at least three of the four disciplines, which is a requirement for a country to qualify a team:
4 disciplines: CAN, CHN, GEO, ITA, USA
3 disciplines: FRA (M, W, ID, needs P), GBR (W, ID, P, needs M), JPN (M, W, P, needs ID), KOR (M, W, ID, need P/does not have one), POL (M, W, P, needs ID)

There are five spots** available for countries with athletes qualified in only three disciplines.

**The wording is unclear whether this means five skaters (for example, one ice dance team, one pairs team and one woman - 2+2+1=5) or five skaters/teams would be allowed to enter the event (in theory, this can amount to 10 additional athletes if each qualified country was to require a pair or dance team).

Any additional information and/or corrections are very welcome!

 

[Ziotic]

Following the final qualifier event, the spot allocation is:

Women
3 spots: JPN, USA
2 spots: BEL, KOR, SUI
1 spot: AIN (Petrosian), AIN (Safonova), AUT, BUL, CAN, CHN, EST, FIN, FRA, GBR, GEO, ISR, ITA, KAZ, LTU, POL, ROU
1st alt: CYP
2nd alt: NOR
3rn alt: SWE

Men
3 spots: JPN, USA
2 spots: FRA, ITA, KOR, LAT
1 spot: AIN (Gumennik), AZE, CAN, CHN, ESP, EST, GEO, KAZ, MEX, POL, SUI, SVK, SWE, TPE, UKR
1st alt: MON
2nd alt: CZE
3rd alt: GER

Ice Dance
3 spots: CAN, USA
2 spots: CZE, ESP, FIN, FRA, GBR
1 spot: AUS, CHN, GEO, GER, ITA, KOR, LTU
1st alt: SWE
2nd alt: HUN
3rd alt: JPN

Pairs
2 spots: CAN, GER, ITA, JPN, USA
1 spot: ARM, AUS, CHN, GBR, GEO, HUN, NED, POL, UZB*
1st alt: FRA
2nd alt: UKR
3rd alt: CZE

*Apparently, the UZB pair may have split.

Team event
Ten countries have qualified spots in at least three of the four disciplines, which is a requirement for a country to qualify a team:
4 disciplines: CAN, CHN, GEO, ITA, USA
3 disciplines: FRA (M, W, ID, needs P), GBR (W, ID, P, needs M), JPN (M, W, P, needs ID), KOR (M, W, ID, need P/does not have one), POL (M, W, P, needs ID)

There are five spots** available for countries with athletes qualified in only three disciplines.

**The wording is unclear whether this means five skaters (for example, one ice dance team, one pairs team and one woman - 2+2+1=5) or five skaters/teams would be allowed to enter the event (in theory, this can amount to 10 additional athletes if each qualified country was to require a pair or dance team).

Any additional information and/or corrections are very welcome!

By the looks of this, they won’t be able to field 10 teams since Korea outright doesn’t have a pairs team with citizenship.

Which IMHO is a huge failing of the fed, they have tons of single skaters that they could have suggested try out pairs knowing this was coming.

 

[4everchan]

By the looks of this, they won’t be able to field 10 teams since Korea outright doesn’t have a pairs team with citizenship.

Which IMHO is a huge failing of the fed, they have tons of single skaters that they could have suggested try out pairs knowing this was coming.

I think Korea can still participate but forfeit pairs points... now, would they want to do that is another story. Sort of tiring for nothing

 

[Jumping_Bean]

By the looks of this, they won’t be able to field 10 teams since Korea outright doesn’t have a pairs team with citizenship.

Which IMHO is a huge failing of the fed, they have tons of single skaters that they could have suggested try out pairs knowing this was coming.

They have tons of female skaters but not male ones. Of the male skaters, most are still pretty young and on the shorter, scrawnier side.
Of the ten male skaters at Sr Nationals last season, 3 are not Sr-eligible, two are below 170 (which makes it much harder to find a suitable partner) and the rest are 172 cm or 173 cm tall, with the exception of Yunhwan (duh) and Sihyeong. Sihyeong might be the most suitable for pairs from a physical standpoint, but not with his shoulder injury and not with him still being competitive in singles in Korea.

Any pair with a foreign partner would probably have to be successful first (like Lim/Quan) to even have a chance of getting Korean citizenship (and a lot of men probably don't want to do military service for obvious reasons).