‘26-27 Site Rumors Nationals & Skate America

[Duchess]

Any rumor as to possible locations for ‘26 Nationals or Skate America?

 

[pixie cut]

Any rumor as to possible locations for ‘26 Nationals or Skate America?

I assume you mean '27 Nationals. '26 Nationals start on Jan. 4 in St. Louis.

 

[Carolla5501]

Any rumor as to possible locations for ‘26 Nationals or Skate America?

Assuming you mean 2027 Nationals.... Expecting USFS to have a clue this early on these events is INCREDIBLY optimistic and highly unlikely .,

 

[Sylvia]

@Duchess you have 24 hours to edit your thread title - just click on the Edit button at the bottom of your post (or the ... at in the top right hand corner).

I'm sure rumors will be circulating in St. Louis.

 

[Karen-W]

Assuming you mean 2027 Nationals.... Expecting USFS to have a clue this early on these events is INCREDIBLY optimistic and highly unlikely .,

Seeing that the USFS has an RFP for the 2027-2030 Nationals available on their website (https://usfigureskating.org/sports/2025/8/21/host-an-event.aspx) and an event like Nationals requires a large arena that is likely booked a year or more in advance for concerts, shows & other sports events, I would be highly surprised if they don't have a good idea of which cities are interested in hosting '27 Nats already, especially since they also need a secondary arena that can host the lower categories that will be returning to Nats next season.

From the RFP -

The annual U.S. Figure Skating Championships are now open for bidding from all areas of the United States for 2027-30 competition seasons. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships will include junior and senior levels only and require the following sample schedule be accommodated. The competition requires one main competition arena (10,000 minimum seating) and one additional competition ice surface for Junior, Novice, Intermediate and Juvenile events with 2,000 minimum seating to accommodate coaches and chaperones).The event will feature approximately 400 athletes, 300 coaches and 75 officials attending the competition.

They may not have a signed contract, but, to be honest, there aren't going to be many options that can handle the dual arena requirements.

 

[BittyBug]

I had no idea they were returning to having the lower levels at Nationals.

 

[Carolla5501]

I had no idea they were returning to having the lower levels at Nationals.

Or is this just a bad copy and paste from the RFP that's been out there for years (it is all rather "fantasyland)

 

[ice coverage]

I had no idea they were returning to having the lower levels at Nationals.

Starting in 2026-27 season, USFS "National Development Team Championships" will be for novice/intermediate/juvenile (all disciplines).

More like a companion event to Nationals for senior/junior.

(FWIW: At 2023 San Jose Nats, we already had official word of Columbus hosting 2024 Nats. And at 2025 Wichita Nats, we already had official word of St. Louis hosting 2026 Nats. Not unthinkable that host of 2027 Nats could be announced in near future.

ETA: I would gladly give USFS as much time as it needs to find a 2027 host location where the main arena and secondary arena would be much closer together than they will be in St. Louis.)

 

[Sylvia]

I had no idea they were returning to having the lower levels at Nationals.

Refer to page 15, Item 104: https://usfigureskating.org/documents/2025/8/10/2024-25_Combined_Report_of_Action.pdf

 

[just tuned in]

Starting in 2026-27 season, USFS "National Development Team Championships" will be for novice/intermediate/juvenile (all disciplines).

More like a companion event to Nationals for senior/junior.

(FWIW: At 2023 San Jose Nats, we already had official word of Columbus hosting 2024 Nats. And at 2025 Wichita Nats, we already had official word of St. Louis hosting 2026 Nats. Not unthinkable that host of 2027 Nats could be announced in near future.

ETA: I would gladly give USFS as much time as it needs to find a 2027 host location where the main arena and secondary arena would be much closer together than they will be in St. Louis.)

I am confused -- will there still be finals for dance and pairs at the lower levels (during sectional comps, as there was in 2025)? Because if so, it is the same roster as would be at a National Team Development Championship.

 

[ice coverage]

I am confused -- will there still be finals for dance and pairs at the lower levels (during sectional comps, as there was in 2025)? Because if so, it is the same roster as would be at a National Team Development Championship.

U.S. Ice Dance Final and U.S. Pairs Final will continue to be held for juvenile through senior.
National Development Team Championships would not necessarily have sufficient slots for all Pairs Final entries or for all Dance Final entries.

For example, 14 intermediate pairs competed at Pairs Final in 2025-26 season.
For juvenile/intermediate/novice, only 8 pairs at each level will advance from Pairs Final to National Development Team Championships in 2026-27 season.
11 novice dance teams competed at Dance Final in 2025-26 season.
For juvenile/intermediate/novice, only 10 dance teams at each level will advance from Dance Final to National Development Team Championships in 2026-27 season.

The USFS page at link below is up to date for 2026-27 season.
Scroll down for a (mostly) helpful chart: "Advancement Pathway for Pairs and Ice Dance Teams".

https://usfigureskating.org/sports/2025/11/5/pathway-to-national-team.aspx​

(Minor not-helpful exception: In pathway for junior/senior pairs/dance, the chart erroneously refers to singles sectional final, instead of pairs or dance final. Yes, I know that pairs and dance finals are held alongside singles sectional finals, but conflation of discipline finals is a pet peeve of mine.)

 

[jägerbomb]

Please no more Lake Placid or Texas Allen, thanks.

 

[Karen-W]

Please no more Lake Placid or Texas Allen, thanks.

Lake Placid in January is a firm no go - not to mention there isn't a 10k arena close enough to serve as the main arena. Allen would be a secondary arena as it, also, is not a 10k arena - but it is a possibility, of course, since it's a suburb of Dallas.

 

[Rukia]

Lake Placid in January is a firm no go - not to mention there isn't a 10k arena close enough to serve as the main arena. Allen would be a secondary arena as it, also, is not a 10k arena - but it is a possibility, of course, since it's a suburb of Dallas.

I think the only place big enough to host us nats would be the american airlines center in downtown dallas, but honestly it's probably considered too cursed to hold nats there anymore lolol

 

[myhoneyhoney]

Maybe come back to San Jose!!

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Maybe come back to San Jose!!

Attendance was so poor last time that I hope they give SJ a rest for awhile. It’s gotten so expensive too.

 

[skipaway]

How many cities have 2 rinks that can serve as competition venues? Greensboro had the practice rink at the Coliseum but no other competition rink( there is a ice facility nearby that holds hockey games but its small). I guess only bigger cities will be considered as viable options.

 

[mattiecat13]

It was my understanding USFS wanted to use smaller, cheaper arenas/cities to hold Nationals, not the bigger cities.

And, personally, I’d much rather go back to Allen TX for an event. The weather was great, arena was nice (if cold), lots of hotels and eateries close to the arena, easy to get to. What’s not to like? My group enjoyed Columbus and Wichita, too.

 

[Coco]

Milwaukee has Fiserv Forum, which is capable of having a large, NHL sized rink (capacity 15,000), plus Panther Arena (capacity 9,000) 3 blocks away. There's a 3rd sheet of ice within 5 blocks of Fiserv, Kern Arrna at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Kern has hosted Skate Milwaukee in the past.

 

[Karen-W]

There are plenty of cities - both major metropolitan and mid-major metros that have two arenas. Just last night, I was going through Wikipedia's list of indoor arenas in the US. Off the top of my head -

Birmingham AL
Mobile AL
Anaheim CA
Palm Desert/Indio CA
Sacramento CA
San Jose CA
Denver CO
Washington DC
Atlanta GA
Jacksonville FL
Miami FL
Chicago IL
Fort Wayne IN
Indianapolis IN
Des Moines IA
Lexington KY
Louisville KY
Boston MA
Detroit MI
Grand Rapids MI
Minneapolis/St Paul MN
Kansas City MO
Lincoln NE
Las Vegas NV
New York City (both NJ and NY)
Rochester NY
Columbus OH
Oklahoma City OK
Tulsa OK
Portland OR
Hershey PA
Sioux Falls SD
Memphis TN
Nashville TN
Dallas/Fort Worth TX
Houston TX
San Antonio TX
Salt Lake City UT
Richmond VA
Seattle/Tacoma WA
Milwaukee WI

 

[just tuned in]

How many cities have 2 rinks that can serve as competition venues? Greensboro had the practice rink at the Coliseum but no other competition rink( there is a ice facility nearby that holds hockey games but its small). I guess only bigger cities will be considered as viable options.

Hershey PA!

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Lower level events have also been held in convention centers before (Boston 2014 is one at top of mind) so a secondary full size arena isn’t needed.

New Orleans has two arenas, but the chances of us seeing skating here are slim and none lol.

 

[Rukia]

And, personally, I’d much rather go back to Allen TX for an event. The weather was great, arena was nice (if cold), lots of hotels and eateries close to the arena, easy to get to. What’s not to like? My group enjoyed Columbus and Wichita, too.

Bolding the cold part because idk why it was cold during skam! We were just there on Sunday for my daughter's holiday ice show and my husband and i were complaining how warm it was for an ice rink hahaha I never even put on my jacket so anyway i guess they were just showing off their air conditioning capacity for y'all or something

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Bolding the cold part because idk why it was cold during skam! We were just there on Sunday for my daughter's holiday ice show and my husband and i were complaining how warm it was for an ice rink hahaha I never even put on my jacket so anyway i guess they were just showing off their air conditioning capacity for y'all or something

I thought it may have been because it was 90 degrees outside for that year’s SA lol. I wasn’t nearly as cold inside the second year in Allen when it was a little chilly outside.

 

[Rukia]

I thought it may have been because it was 90 degrees outside for that year’s SA lol. I wasn’t nearly as cold inside the second year in Allen when it was a little chilly outside.

Possibly. The community rink next door is consistently freezing though, but the arena rink is usually pretty warm. All that to say come back to allen to i can go again because I want to try out a new place to sit.

 

[Brooke]

For selfish reasons, I wish they'd do Detroit again! But I suspect Little Caesars Arena is too costly.

 

[doubleturn]

Providence, RI - The Amp/Dunkin Donuts Center/Providence Civic Center has hosted Nationals before. The Convention Center next door could serve as a secondary arena. Brown & PC both have on-campus arenas. Best of all, would be a local event for me .

 

[Karen-W]

Come on, folks! You just KNOW you want to plan a trip to Rochester NY, Grand Rapids MI or Des Moines IA in January during the next 4 years.

 

[Debbie S]

For selfish reasons, I wish they'd do Detroit again! But I suspect Little Caesars Arena is too costly.

For self-preservation reasons, given that both my flights to/from 2019 Nats were canceled due to snow/ice in Detroit, i can do without another trip there in January. I would go there for SA.

 

[PRlady]

Cleveland in January 2000 was one of the low points in all my travels. I haven’t been back, either.

Since I’m definitely going to Euros in Lausanne next year (husband’s daughter lives in Basel, the next city over, so it’s a twofer) I’m not going to Nats unless it’s in DC or Baltimore.