Figure skating Olympics 2026 schedule: What we know now in ET

With the Winter Games underway in Italy, attention is turning to the ice. Here’s where the figure skating schedule stands right now, including how the program is expected to unfold and when to watch in Eastern Time as session-by-session details are finalized.

The big picture: Two-week slate with early team event

Figure skating traditionally runs across both weeks of the Games, anchoring the indoor program in Milan. The team event typically opens the slate on the first weekend, with segments spread over multiple sessions before medals are decided early in Week 1. From there, the sport moves into the individual and pairs disciplines, culminating with the Exhibition Gala on the final Sunday of the Games.

While precise session grids continue to settle, fans can bank on a familiar order: the team event first, followed by pairs, men’s singles, ice dance, and women’s singles across the heart of the competition period. The gala closes out the sport once all medals have been awarded.

ET viewing windows: When to expect live action

Host-city sessions in Italy convert to viewer-friendly windows in the United States. With Milan six hours ahead of Eastern Time, most figure skating sessions held in the afternoon or evening locally will land in the U.S. late morning to mid-afternoon ET. Earlier local starts will push into the U.S. morning hours.

• Team event sessions: Expect morning through early afternoon ET across the opening weekend and adjacent weekdays, with medals decided in a late-morning-to-midday ET window.
• Pairs short/free: Typically staged in midweek of the first or early second week, with live coverage likely in late-morning-to-mid-afternoon ET.
• Men’s short/free: Often positioned toward the midpoint of the Games; plan for late-morning-to-mid-afternoon ET viewing for both programs.
• Ice dance rhythm/free: Generally set in the second week, again mapping to late-morning and early-afternoon ET broadcast windows.
• Women’s short/free: Traditionally in the latter stretch of the second week, commonly within late-morning and early-afternoon ET slots for the decisive free skate.

Expect the busiest medal moments to hit between roughly late morning and mid-afternoon ET on their respective days, with some earlier starts possible depending on arena logistics and broadcast planning.

Event order: How the competition is expected to flow

While exact dates and times will be confirmed session-by-session, the standard Olympic progression remains the best guide:

• Team event: Men’s short program, pairs short program, ice dance rhythm dance, women’s short program, and free programs in a staggered format, culminating in early medals.
• Pairs: Short program followed by the free skate on the next competitive day for that discipline.
• Men’s singles: Short program first, then the free skate with medals on the line.
• Ice dance: Rhythm dance, then the free dance for medals.
• Women’s singles: Short program, then the free skate to close out individual medal events.

Rest days are typically built between shorts and frees to accommodate ice maintenance, practice blocks, and television windows, so clusters of back-to-back medal sessions are possible in the second week.

Key planning notes for fans in ET

For those building a viewing plan, a few timing habits of the Olympic schedule can help:

• Morning in Milan is very early stateside; early local starts can appear in the U.S. morning ET window.
• Prime-time sessions in Italy most often map to midday and early afternoon ET, a common landing spot for medal programs.
• Session start times can adjust slightly for ice maintenance or competitive pacing, so final daily times may shift by modest margins.

Expect heavier figure skating traffic in the arena during the second week of the Games as multiple disciplines reach their free programs and medal rounds.

Where this fits within the wider Games calendar

The Milan-Cortina schedule is dense, and figure skating shares the spotlight with marquee events throughout both weeks. With the Games already producing standout moments across the ice and snow, the figure skating runway is set to deliver several medal days in quick succession once the team event wraps.

As with any global event spanning multiple sessions, the most reliable details will come as daily start lists and timing blocks are locked in. Fans should anticipate live action during U.S. mornings and afternoons throughout the Games, with medal sessions frequently arriving in those same windows.