The thrill of an Olympic season awaits when the world’s best Figure Skaters take to the ice in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2025/26 and start building towards the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. Top stars such as reigning ISU World Champions Ilia Malinin (USA), Alysa Liu (USA), Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) and Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) are up against long-time rivals and hungry newcomers.  

As the series unfolds, watch out for the spectacular comebacks of 2022 Olympic Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN), 2022 Olympic bronze medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA), two-time ISU World medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL) as well as of 2022 Olympic Champion Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) and new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry. With the Olympic Winter Games just a few months away, the ISU Grand Prix series sets the scene for a fascinating Figure Skating season.  

 Ilia Malinin (USA) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU 

What happens in the ISU Grand Prix? 

Six events, six countries and six great weeks of exciting competition – the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating is a prime event for fans, spectators and media around the world. The world’s best Figure Skaters compete against each other in these six events for points and prize money to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. 

 Alysa Liu (USA) performing at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy 2024, in Tokyo, Japan ©ISU  

The events of the ISU Grand Prix 2025/26: 

• Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA) October 17-19
• Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN) October 24-26
• Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, SK (CAN) October 31-November 2
• NHK Trophy in Osaka (JPN) November 7-9
• Skate America in Lake Placid, NY (USA) November 14-16
• Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN) November 21-23

 The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final will take place in Nagoya (JPN) December 4-7. 

 Who competes where in the ISU Grand Prix? 

Stop 1: The series kicks off with the Grand Prix de France in Angers.  

Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU 

• Headliners: two-time ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA), two-time ISU European Champion Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA), three-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), 2025 ISU European Champion Niina Petrokina (EST), 2025 ISU World Pairs Champions Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN), 2024 ISU World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN), three-time ISU European Champions Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA), 2025 ISU World bronze medalists Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR)
• Watch out for: 2022 Olympic Ice Dance Champion Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) coming back with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry. The new team is aiming at shaking up things in Ice Dance.

Stop 2: Next up is the Cup of China in Chongqing

 Madison Chock & Evan Bates (USA) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU  

• Headliners: 2025 ISU World Champion Alysa Liu (USA), ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Amber Glenn (USA), three-time ISU World Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA), 2025 World silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ), 2023 ISU World silver medalist Junhwan Cha (KOR), 2025 ISU World bronze medalists Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii (ITA), two-time ISU World Junior Pairs Champions Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO)   
• Watch out for: 2022 Olympic Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN) returning to competition after sitting out the past three seasons.

 Stop 3: The circuit heads to Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, SK.

Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (CAN) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU  

• Headliners: 2025 World silver medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN), two-time ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin (USA), ISU Grand Prix Finalist Kevin Aymoz (FRA), 2025 ISU World bronze medalist Mone Chiba (JPN), 2024 ISU World silver medalist Isabeau Levito (USA), 2024 ISU World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN), 2025 ISU European Champions Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER)
• Watch out for: Gilles/Poirier hunting after a sixth Skate Canada International title 

Stop 4: The attention moves to Osaka for the NHK Trophy

Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU  

• Headliners: three-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN),2022 Olympic and three-time ISU World silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), 2025 ISU European Champion Lukas Britschgi (SUI), 2022 Olympic Champions Wenjing Sui/Cong Han (CHN), Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii (ITA), three-time ISU European Champions Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA), 2025 ISU World bronze medalists Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR), 2022 Olympic bronze medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA),
• Watch out for: 2024 ISU European Champion Loena Hendrickx (BEL) making her comeback after missing the past season due to injury.

 Stop 5: The series returns to the Olympic venue in Lake Placid for Skate America. 

 Riku Miura & Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU 

• Headliners: Three-time & reigning ISU World Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA), ISU World Champion Alysa Liu (USA), 2025 ISU Four Continents Champion Chaeyeon Kim (KOR), 2025 World silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ), Jason Brown (USA), Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN)
• Watch out for: Alysa Liu (USA). She staged one of the most spectacular comebacks in the history of the sport by coming out of retirement to claim the world title in 2025. What is she up to now in the ISU Grand Prix series?

Stop 6: The final stop and last chance to qualify for the Final is at the Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy in Finland.  

 Minerva Fabienne Hase & Nikita Volodin (GER) performing at the ISU Grand Prix 2024, in Angers, France ©ISU 

• Headliners: 2025 ISU World silver medalists Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER), Loena Hendrickx (BEL), Amber Glenn (USA), Mone Chiba (JPN), Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA), 2025 World silver medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN), Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) 
• Watch out for: 2022 Olympic bronze medalists Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani (USA) returning after a break of seven years. Will they make it to the ISU Grand Prix Final?

 The best of the best will meet at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Nagoya (JPN) for the last big showdown of the top stars before they’ll face each other again in Milan.  

39 Men, 37 Women, 29 Pairs and 35 Ice Dance couples representing 26 ISU Members currently have been invited. The maximum number of entries for each event is 12 Ladies, 12 Men, 8 Pairs and 10 Ice Dance couples.  

How are Skaters selected for the ISU Grand Prix? 

The skaters are seeded and invited to the six Grand Prix of Figure Skating events based on the results of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025. Skaters/couples who have placed 1 to 6 in each of the four categories are seeded and assigned to two events. Skaters/ couples who have placed 7-12 at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships are selected for two ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events, and skaters with a top 24 Season Best Scores (from the 2023/24 season) as well as those placed in the top 24 of the ISU World Standings can also be invited. If available medalists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships can also be selected. “Come-back Skaters” – former top athletes that return to competition -  will be given priority consideration to re-enter the Grand Prix for selection of up to two assignments. Each event should have – if possible – an equal number of medalists within the overall four disciplines.  

 In order for a skater/couple to be eligible to compete at an ISU Grand Prix event, a minimum total score must have been achieved in the 2024/25 or current season in an ISU event (Grand Prix, Junior Grand Prix, Championships) or a Challenger Series event. This score is as follows: Women 133.78, Men 191.14, Pairs 131.87 and Ice Dance 133.24. Exceptions apply to host country skaters, previously ranked skaters or split ranked couples who return with new partners.   

Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ) performing at the ISU Grand Prix Final 2024, in Grenoble, France ©ISU

How do Skaters qualify for the ISU Grand Prix Final?  

Competitors collect points in their Grand Prix events towards the qualification for the Grand Prix Final.  

The points are awarded as follows: 

1st place 15 points                 2nd place 13 points                3rd place 11 points 

4th place 9 points                   5th place 7 points                   6th place 5 points 

7th place 4 points                   8th place 3 points  

How much prize money is available?  

The global prize money per individual event of the Grand Prix is US $ 180,000 and the prize money is awarded to winners and placed skaters/couples at the events as follows: 

1st place US $ 18,000            2nd place US $ 13,000           3rd place US $ 9,000           
4th place US $ 3,000              5th place US $ 2,000  

The General Announcement of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series will be available in due time at the ISU website. The individual announcements are published under the respective events. For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series please visit here.