2026 Olympics Team Event - Strategy, Predictions & Discussion

[Sylvia]

ISU Communication No. 2754 (5 pages; Dec. 10, 2025)
OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES 2026
ENTRIES/PARTICIPATION FIGURE SKATING TEAM EVENT
INCLUDING CLARIFICATIONS RELATED TO THE FIGURE SKATING TEAM EVENT AND REPLACEMENTS/SUBSTITUTIONS FOR MEDICAL REASONS
Link: https://isu-d8g8b4b7ece7aphs.a03.az...fied-Teams-for-Team-event-1765354454-3134.pdf

Excerpts:

1 USA 7069
2 JPN* 6027 a* Ice Dance
3 ITA 4606
4 CAN 4231
5 GEO 4106
6 FRA* 3829 a* Pairs
GER 2777
7 GBR* 2671 a* Men
KAZ 2454
8 KOR* 2171 b* Pairs
9 CHN 2132
SUI 1946
BEL 1598
HUN 1476
FIN 1454
ESP 1414
EST 1393
AUS 1284
LTU 1224
SVK 1208
CZE 1190
UKR 906
ISR 808
10 POL* 776 b* Ice Dance

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.

The NOCs of the qualified Teams announced as per paragraph 1 above, are requested to confirm their participation by email on or before December 11, 2025 (noon CET) to the ISU Office.

 

[Sylvia]

Do they have to decide on the whole team before the competition begins or they can decide on the replacements after the SP?

6. Exchange of a Skater/Couple between the SP/RD and FS/FD of the Team Event
In principle, the Skater/Couple competing in the Free Skating/Free Dance Team Event must be the same as those having competed in the Short Program/Rhythm Dance Team Event; however, each Team has the option to replace up to two (2) entries (two Single skaters or one Single Skater (Woman or Men) plus one Couple (Pair Skating or Ice Dance) or both the Pair Skating and Ice Dance Couples) between the SP/RD and the FS/FD provided such qualified Skaters/Couples are part of the accredited delegation on site of the OWG. Basically, the option of an exchange is only given to Teams, who have more than one qualified Skater/Couple for the individual Events(s). Any exchange within the Team Event (after the SP/RD) has no consequences on the participation of such Skaters in the Individual Events.

 

[Andrea82]

Do they have to decide on the whole team before the competition begins or they can decide on the replacements after the SP?

After SP

For the 5 Teams qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance Team Event, the NOCs/ISU Members must declare the Ice Dance competing for Ice Dance FD Team Event immediately (latest about 10 minutes) after the conclusion of the Men SP Team Event.

February 7, 2026 – 21:15 Nomination by name of the Skaters participating in the Ice Dance FD Team Event.

February 7, 2026 – 23:00 Nomination by name of the Skaters participating in the Women Single Skating FS, Men Single Skating FS and Pair Skating FS Team Event

 

[kwanfan1818]

They don’t have to announce exchanges, if any, until right after the RD/SP, although they have to submit the set of potential competitors earlier, and choose participants from among them, but, for the most part, the Federations announce their exchanges publicly before the Olympics anyway. Athletes will have it on their social media, and press will ask, as when Hubbell/Donohue clarified that there would be an Ice Dance split with Chock/Bates in 2022, after the Shibutanis, as the top-ranked team in the second-strongest discipline in 2018, chose to do both segments in PyeongChang.

 

[Braulio]

USA Could be

Men: Ilia Short, Jason Free
Women: Alysa Liu both segments
Pairs: Whoever qualifies as Natl Champion both segments
Dance: Chock/Bates RD, Zingas/Kolesnik FD

Gold is not that locked, part of me thinks that they could go with Chock/Bates doing both segments to prevent any damage that Pairs could cause where the Americans will lose valuable points to Japan in the SP and have a problem and level the points field between them, no matter how low the Japanese dance couple will place in the Rhythm Dance and potentially the 5th guarantee place in the Free

If they decide to let Chock/Bates both segments, then Alysa/Amber will do ladies with Gleen getting the free skate

 

[Coco]

I may start a petition to move this event to the end.

 

[kwanfan1818]

It is the most telegenic of all of the figure skating events, with the team getups, and they could sell the strategic element if which team is stronger than which in which event, and how the current standings will shift, how they did in the individual event vs. now,etc. Like a sports event, with the judging going a layer back of the spectacle.

 

[Tinycities]

USA Could be

Men: Ilia Short, Jason Free
Women: Alysa Liu both segments
Pairs: Whoever qualifies as Natl Champion both segments
Dance: Chock/Bates RD, Zingas/Kolesnik FD

Gold is not that locked, part of me thinks that they could go with Chock/Bates doing both segments to prevent any damage that Pairs could cause where the Americans will lose valuable points to Japan in the SP and have a problem and level the points field between them, no matter how low the Japanese dance couple will place in the Rhythm Dance and potentially the 5th guarantee place in the Free

If they decide to let Chock/Bates both segments, then Alysa/Amber will do ladies with Gleen getting the free skate

If they really want team gold, then chock/bates don’t split, but 4 programs in 6 days (3 in the first 4) is a lot for any team, let alone a team in their 30s.

 

[Karen-W]

USA Could be

Men: Ilia Short, Jason Free
Women: Alysa Liu both segments
Pairs: Whoever qualifies as Natl Champion both segments
Dance: Chock/Bates RD, Zingas/Kolesnik FD

Gold is not that locked, part of me thinks that they could go with Chock/Bates doing both segments to prevent any damage that Pairs could cause where the Americans will lose valuable points to Japan in the SP and have a problem and level the points field between them, no matter how low the Japanese dance couple will place in the Rhythm Dance and potentially the 5th guarantee place in the Free

If they decide to let Chock/Bates both segments, then Alysa/Amber will do ladies with Gleen getting the free skate

Ehhhhhh... I think it's pretty certain that KamO will do the pairs segments and while the US will certainly give up points in the TE Pairs SP, they're not going to give up nearly as many as YoMori will in the TE RD segment. It most likely will come out as a wash between the two disciplines and the points each country gives away. The bigger weakness is Brown in the FS. If his skating is more like fall 2025 than Worlds 2025, then the USA is in trouble. And even if he is closer to his Worlds form than this fall's form, he may still very well lose the FS to Sato, Grassl & Aymoz. Those are the points that we aren't likely to make up with the women or Ilia in the SP.

 

[Karen-W]

If they really want team gold, then chock/bates don’t split, but 4 programs in 6 days (3 in the first 4) is a lot for any team, let alone a team in their 30s.

The USA can win TE gold without ChoBat doing both segments. Some of it will depend, though, on which countries make the TE FS/FD segment and also whether or not different countries choose to exchange teams in the Pairs & Dance segments of the TE.

 

[Karen-W]

I've seen confirmations from the following federations that they will be competing in the TE -

British Ice Skating
FFSG
Polish FSA
Georgian FSF
USFS (commented on the ISU's IG announcement)
Skate Canada (commented on the ISU's IG announcement)

 

[Tinycities]

The USA can win TE gold without ChoBat doing both segments. Some of it will depend, though, on which countries make the TE FS/FD segment and also whether or not different countries choose to exchange teams in the Pairs & Dance segments of the TE.

Twitter seems to have convinced themselves that there’s no way chock/bates will split the te, and I just can’t see them NOT splitting.

 

[Jammers]

Twitter seems to have convinced themselves that there’s no way chock/bates will split the te, and I just can’t see them NOT splitting.

Either Ilia or C/B are going to have to do both segments for the US to really have a chance to win. Without them the US could finish at least 4th in Men's and whatever Ice Dance team does the FD is going to be down the standings too. That puts a lot of pressure on the ladies to do well.

 

[Karen-W]

Twitter seems to have convinced themselves that there’s no way chock/bates will split the te, and I just can’t see them NOT splitting.

Well, first mistake is taking anything the FSTWidiots say seriously. A lot of them are driven by their love of Amber and want the US to split the women & men.

Though, to be honest, logically, in a perfect world where ice dance was the second week of the Olympics, they'd be right because the USA needs the points ChoBat would earn in not splitting it.

 

[Tinycities]

Well, first mistake is taking anything the FSTWidiots say seriously. A lot of them are driven by their love of Amber and want the US to split the women & men.

Though, to be honest, logically, in a perfect world where ice dance was the second week of the Olympics, they'd be right because the USA needs the points ChoBat would earn in not splitting it.

I agree with all your points, especially the last bit. The RD being so close to the team event is what makes this so tough.

 

[skatingguy]

Others got their first.