Team USA's 2026 figure skating team could be its best ever

The U.S. has one of its strongest figure skating teams in history for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics

Feb. 7, 2026 at 12:31pm

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The U.S. figure skating team heading to the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics is being hailed as one of the strongest in history, with medal favorites in nearly every event. Anchored by phenom Ilia Malinin, known as the "quad god," the American squad includes three reigning world champions and could make for some of the most exciting medal moments in the sport in decades.

Why it matters

After being denied a medal ceremony four years ago in Beijing due to a doping investigation, the U.S. team is eager to reclaim the team gold and make a statement on the Olympic stage. With a deep roster of talent, including several skaters poised to make history, this could be a pivotal moment for American figure skating.

The details

The U.S. men's team is led by Malinin, the two-time defending world champion who is set to make his Olympic debut. The 20-year-old is the first and only skater to land a quadruple axel in competition and is expected to attempt up to seven quads in his programs. He'll be joined by Andrew Torgashev and Maxim Naumov. On the women's side, Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito make up a trio that has been called the strongest U.S. women's team in 20 years. In ice dance, the veteran duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the three-time defending world champions, while Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko round out the dance team. In pairs, Danny O'Shea and Ellie Kam, and Emily Chan and Spencer Howe will represent the U.S.

  • The figure skating team competition begins on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • The first medals in the team event will be awarded on Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Ilia Malinin

A 20-year-old American figure skating phenom known as the "quad god" who is the first and only skater to land a quadruple axel in competition. He is the two-time defending world champion and is expected to attempt up to seven quads in his Olympic programs.

Madison Chock

An American ice dancer and three-time defending world champion, who along with her husband and skating partner Evan Bates is the only member of the 2022 Olympic team to return in 2026.

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old American figure skater who was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She won the first world title by an American woman since 2007.

Danny O'Shea

A 34-year-old American pairs skater from the Chicago area who is making his first Olympic appearance, paired with Ellie Kam.

Maxim Naumov

A 24-year-old American figure skater from Simsbury, Connecticut who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

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What they’re saying

“We have three reigning world champions, which is unheard of.”

— Madison Chock (nbcchicago.com)

“You think of legends in other sports - Simone Biles, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods - Ilia Malinin is that for figure skating. He's done elements that we never thought we'd see in our lifetime. Every time we watch him skate it's like watching the moon landing.”

— Johnny Weir, Commentator (NBC Olympics)

“I haven't seen a U.S. women's team this strong in 20 years.”

— Tara Lipinski, Olympic gold medalist and commentator (NBC Olympics)

“If we do our jobs in Milan, then more than likely someone is going to be up there.”

— Amber Glenn (nbcchicago.com)

“Everyone still considers them very much the favorites for the gold here. They certainly have the talent, and the ambition and drive.”

— Johnny Weir, Commentator (NBC Olympics)

What’s next

The figure skating team competition continues on Sunday, February 16, 2026, with the remaining programs to determine the medal winners.

The takeaway

With a deep roster of world champions and rising stars, the U.S. figure skating team is poised to make a major impact at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. This could be a defining moment for American figure skating, as the team aims to reclaim the team gold and potentially win multiple individual medals across the men's, women's, ice dance, and pairs events.