Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for a thrilling ride when the World’s top Figure Skaters take to the ice for in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2025/26. The ISU Grand Prix series is the perfect build-up towards the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games and ISU Championships and integral part of the ISU Skate to Milano campaign. 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 eager to leave their mark. They will face long-time rivals and hungry newcomers. With the Olympic Winter Games just a few months away, the ISU Grand Prix series sets the scene for a fascinating Figure Skating season and kicks off this week with the Grand Prix de France in Angers.

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, especially in an Olympic year. 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. 

Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © 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?

 Ilia Malinin (USA) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © ISU

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

• 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 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.

Amber Glenn (USA) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © ISU

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

• 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), 2024 ISU European Champions Lucrezia Beccari/Matteo Guarise (ITA)
• 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. 

• 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

Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/35 © ISU

Stop 4: The action moves to Osaka, Japan, for the NHK Trophy. 

• 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) continuing her comeback after missing the past season due to injury 

Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © ISU

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

• 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), Lucrezia Beccari/Matteo Guarise (ITA) 
• 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. Will she qualify for her first ISU Grand Prix Final?

Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © ISU

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

• Headliners: 2025 ISU World silver medalists Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER), Loena Hendrickx (BEL), Amber Glenn (USA), Mone Chiba (JPN), , 2025 ISU European Champion Niina Petrokina (EST), 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.  

44 Men, 45 Women, 28 Pairs and 36 Ice Dance couples representing 24 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.  

Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © ISU

Where to watch

Follow the Where to Watch News here. 

Connect with the world of ice skating through the brand new ISU App. 

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.   

Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) competing in the ISU Grand Prix Series 2024/25 © 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. 

Follow the ISU Grand Prix events: 

The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below: 

• 17 - 19 Oct 2025:  Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA)
• 24 - 26 Oct 2025:  Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN)
• 31 Oct-2 Nov 2025:   Skate Canada International in Saskatoon (CAN)
• 07 - 9 Nov 2025:  NHK Trophy in Osaka (JPN)
• 14- 16 Nov 2025:  Skate America in Lake Placid (USA) 
• 21 - 23 Nov 2025: Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN) 

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final:  

• 04 - 07 Dec 2025: Nagoya (JPN)