Qualification
Skaters qualified for the U.S. Championships by either having a bye or by competing at the Pacific Coast Sectional Finals, Eastern Sectional Finals, Midwestern Sectional Finals, U.S. Ice Dance Finals, or U.S. Pairs Finals.
Senior-level skaters were eligible for a bye if they met any of the following criteria:
Junior-level skaters were eligible for a bye if they met any of the following criteria:
After accounting for all byes, the top placements from the Singles Sectionals, U.S. Pairs Finals, or U.S. Ice Dance Finals were then assigned until the maximum number of competitors for each event (eighteen in men's singles, eighteen in women's singles, twelve in pairs, and fifteen in ice dance) was met. [3]
Single skating
Men and women competing in single skating first performed a short program. Junior men and women performed their short programs on Monday, January 5. Senior women performed their short programs on Wednesday, January 7, while senior men performed theirs on Thursday, January 8. [1] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds, the short program had to include the following elements:
For junior men: one double or triple Axel; one double or triple loop; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump or two triple jumps; one flying sit spin; one camel spin with a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and a step sequence using the full ice surface.
For senior men: one double or triple Axel; one triple or quadruple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, two triple jumps, or a quadruple jump and a double jump or triple jump; one flying spin; one camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and a step sequence using the full ice surface.
For junior women: one double Axel; one double or triple loop; one jump combination consisting of two double jumps, one double jump and one triple jump, or two triple jumps; one flying sit spin; one layback spin, sideways leaning spin, or camel spin without a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and one step sequence using the full ice surface.
For senior women: one double or triple Axel; one triple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, or two triple jumps; one flying spin; one layback spin, sideways leaning spin, camel spin, or sit spin without a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and one step sequence using the full ice surface.
Men and women in single skating finished their competition with the free skating segment. Junior men and women performed their free skates on Thursday, January 6. Senior women performed their free skates on Friday, January 9, while senior men performed theirs on Saturday, January 10. [1] The free skate for both men and women could last no more than 4 minutes, and had to include the following:
For junior men and women: seven jump elements, of which one had to be an Axel-type jump; three spins, of which one had to be a spin combination, one had to be a flying spin, and one had to be a spin with only one position; and a choreographic sequence.
For senior men and women: seven jump elements, of which one had to be an Axel-type jump; three spins, of which one had to be a spin combination, one had to be a flying spin, and one had to be a spin with only one position; a step sequence; and a choreographic sequence.
Pair skating
Couples competing in pair skating also first performed a short program. Junior pair teams performed their short program on Monday, January 5, while senior teams performed theirs on Wednesday, January 7. [1] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds, it had to include the following elements:
For junior couples: one pair lift, one double or triple twist lift, one double or triple toe loop or flip/Lutz throw jump, one double loop or double Axel solo jump, one solo spin combination with a change of foot, one death spiral, and a step sequence using the full ice surface.
For senior couples: one pair lift, one double or triple twist lift, one double or triple throw jump, one double or triple solo jump, one solo spin combination with a change of foot, one death spiral, and a step sequence using the full ice surface.
Junior couples performed their free skates on Tuesday, January 6, while senior couples performed theirs on Friday, January 9. [1] The free skate could last no more than 4 minutes, and had to include the following:
For junior couples: two pair lifts, one twist lift, two different throw jumps, one solo jump, one jump combination or sequence, one pair spin combination, one death spiral, and a choreographic sequence.
For senior couples: three pair lifts, one twist lift, two different throw jumps, one solo jump, one jump combination or sequence, one pair spin combination, one death spiral, and a choreographic sequence.
Ice dance
Couples competing in ice dance first performed a rhythm dance. Junior couples performed their rhythm dances on Monday, January 5, while senior couples performed theirs on Thursday, January 8. [1] Lasting no more than 2 minutes 50 seconds, the theme of the rhythm dance this season was "music, dance styles, and feeling of the 1990s". Examples of applicable dance styles and music included, but were not limited to: pop, Latin, house, techno, hip-hop, and grunge. [16] The rhythm dance had to include the following elements:
For junior couples: one sequence of the rhumba followed immediately by one sequence of the quickstep, one dance lift, one set of sequential twizzles, and one step sequence while not touching. [16]
For senior couples: one pattern dance step sequence, one choreographic rhythm sequence, one dance lift, one set of sequential twizzles, and one step sequence while not touching. [16]
Junior ice dance teams performed their free dances on Tuesday, January 6 while senior teams performed theirs on Saturday, January 10. [1] The free dance could last no longer than 3 minutes 30 seconds for juniors, or 4 minutes for seniors, and had to include the following:
For junior couples: two dance lifts or one combination lift, one dance spin, one set of synchronized twizzles, one step sequence in hold, one turns sequence while on one skate and not touching, and two choreographic elements. [16]
For senior couples: three dance lifts or one dance lift and one combination lift, one dance spin, one set of synchronized twizzles, one step sequence in hold, one turns sequence while on one skate and not touching, and three choreographic elements. [16]
Judging
For the 2025–26 season, all of the technical elements in any figure skating performance –such as jumps and spins –were assigned a predetermined base point value and were then scored by a panel of seven or nine judges on a scale from -5 to 5 based on their quality of execution. The judging panel's Grade of Execution (GOE) was determined by calculating the trimmed mean (that is, an average after deleting the highest and lowest scores), and this GOE was added to the base value to come up with the final score for each element. The panel's scores for all elements were added together to generate a total element score. At the same time, judges evaluated each performance based on three program components –skating skills, presentation, and composition –and assigned a score from .25 to 10 in .25 point increments. The judging panel's final score for each program component was also determined by calculating the trimmed mean. Those scores were then multiplied by the factor shown on the following chart; the results were added together to generate a total program component score.
Deductions were applied for certain violations like time infractions, stops and restarts, or falls. The total element score and total program component score were added together, minus any deductions, to generate a final performance score for each skater or team.
