Top American ice stars, led by Alysa Liu and Ilia Malinin, are set to compete for Winter Olympics spots at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships from Jan. 7-11, 2026.
Although where the skaters finish at the Nationals won’t necessarily determine who goes to the Games, it is the final event before U.S. Figure Skating selects the Olympics’ team. Fans are expecting major drama on ice!
More than 180 of America’s top skaters will compete in singles, pairs and ice dance disciplines. Current world women’s and men’s singles champions Liu and Malinin look like a lock to compete for gold medals at February’s Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy, but there are other places up for grabs.
The other prominent U.S. ice queens, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, are expected to be in the Olympics, while the complete American men’s team is a question mark. Meanwhile, ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates are favorites for Nationals and Olympic gold, and Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov have emerged as the top U.S. pairs team.
? SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox?
Who will win the Nationals and who will melt down in the “kiss and cry” area? Read on to find out how to watch the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships!
The championship events will be held at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
How can you watch the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on TV?
While the event kicks off with junior level and novice practices and competitions from Jan. 4-6, the highly-anticipated championship events begin on Wednesday, Jan. 7. According to US Figure Skating, the USA channel and NBC will air the key competitions, subject to change, as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. 7
8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT | USAPairs Short and Women's Short ProgramsThursday, Jan. 8
8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT | USARhythm Dance and Men's Short ProgramsFriday, Jan. 9
8 p.m. ET/PT | NBCPairs and Women Free Skate ProgramsSaturday, Jan. 10
8 p.m. ET/PT | NBCFree Dance and Men's Free Skate ProgramsSunday, Jan. 11 (Making the Team: Presented by Xfinity)
2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT | NBCThe U.S. Figure Skating Championships conclude with an exhibition from the top skaters, plus the Olympic team is announced.All junior and championship events will be livestreamed on Peacock. Events can be accessed on Peacock for 72 hours following their conclusion. Novice events will be available on the U.S. Figure Skating YouTube channel.
Who are the national competitors leading the ladies?
Among the women, California native Liu, 20, is the reigning 2025 women’s world champion and free skates brilliantly to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park.” Still, she faces stiff competition from Texan Glenn, 26, who won the 2024 and 2025 U.S. nationals. Another strong contender is Levito, the 18-year-old born in Philadelphia who now lives in New Jersey; she won the silver medal at the 2024 World Championships.
Amber Glenn/Photo: Monumental SportsMonumental Sports
Ice skating watchers think blast from the past Bradie Tennell, 27, from Illinois, a two-time U.S. champ and 2018 Olympian, might also have a slim chance to win nationals and then be named to the women’s Milan team.
Related: The Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan Scandal Turns 20: Is Harding a Victim, Too?
Who are the male skaters to watch?
The “Quad God” Malinin, 21, born in Virginia and known for his incredible quadruple jumps, likely can’t be beat at the U.S. Nationals. Malinin is the three-time U.S national champion (2023-2025) and two-time world champion (2024, 2025). Jason Brown, 30, whose hometown is Illinois, competed in the 2014 and 2022 Olympics. Brown may not make the Milan team because of his inability to do quadruple jumps. But his artistry makes him a factor once again!
Monumental Sports
Ilia Malinin/Photo: Monumental Sports
Florida native Andrew Torgashev, 24, had a rocky 2025 season, but will fight for what’s likely one of the other two Olympic spots up for grabs after Malinin. Another contender is Maxim Naumov, 24, from Connecticut, whose parents tragically died in the 2025 Washington D.C. plane/helicopter crash. A dark horse to go to Milan could be New York native Jimmy Ma, 30, who looked impressive winning bronze at the 2025 Four Continents competition. Tomoki Hiwatashi, 25, from New Jersey, is also competing at the U.S. championships with Olympic berth dreams. Sadly, however, Arizonan Camden Pulkinen, 25, announced on Instagram that due to a herniated disc in his lower back, he would have to drop out of the nationals.
Related: How to Watch the ‘Legacy on Ice’ Tribute to Figure Skater DC Plane Crash Victims
Who will thrill viewers in U.S. ice dancing?
No one can match the passionate American team of Californian Chock, 33, and Bates, 36, from Michigan. The married ice dancers have won the nationals six times! The couple also won gold at the World Championships the past three seasons. Chock and Bates will no doubt deliver an amazing flamenco-themed “Paint It Black” routine at the nationals. The U.S. will send a total of three ice dancing pairs to the Olympics.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates (Photo by Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty Images)America has confirmed two pairs’ spots for Milan so far and might be able to send a third team, which is unclear at press time. Married couple Efimova and Mitrofanov are currently considered the top American team after winning the 2025 U.S. national championships. Efimova is originally from Finland and now resides in America, while her husband was born in Wisconsin. But could there be an Olympics complication? Efimova, who has a U.S. green card, is reportedly not yet an American citizen. According to the Skating Club of Boston, as of late 2025, she was seeking a waiver of the full-three year waiting period for a U.S. passport so as to be eligible for the 2026 Olympic Team.
Other promising U.S. pairs couples vying for Milan are Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, and Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy.
Who are the U.S. Figure Skating Championships commentators?
The longtime NBC Sports ice skating coverage team of Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir, and Terry Gannon are expected to cover the 2026 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships.
How does U.S. Figure Skating decide who makes the Olympic team?
The U.S. Olympic figure skating team is chosen by a selection committee. Although the U.S. Nationals can be an important factor in the picks, it’s not as simple as choosing the top finishers from that event for the Olympics. Skaters’ resumes and past results in international contests are important. The process is nerve-wracking for the competitors!
Next, Olympic trivia questions.
Hence then, the article about battle for milan how to watch the 2026 u s figure skating championships was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Battle for Milan: How to Watch the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships )
Also on site :
- Saks Global Secures $1.75 Billion of Committed Capital and Announces Return of Industry Veterans to Advance Transformation of Iconic Luxury Portfolio
- Another Weight Loss Surgery and a Wedding Bombshell: Spoilers From '1000-Lb Sisters' Season 8 Episode 2
- Trump-Iran latest: President threatens ‘very strong action’ if protesters are hanged after forced confessions