• Alysa Liu will skate the women’s short for Team USA on day one of the figure skating team event at Milano Cortina 2026.
• Japan’s three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori will go last on opening day to try to boost Team Japan’s score.
• Ilia Malinin and Madison Chock/Evan Bates are also named for their teams; the three-day team event runs at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
Team event kicks off at Milano Ice Skating Arena
The three-day figure skating team event at Milano Cortina 2026 begins with the rhythm dance on Friday and finishes with the men’s free skating on Sunday. Teams were finalised on 5 and 6 February, with ten nations set to compete for opening honours at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
Stars to watch: Alysa Liu, Sakamoto Kaori, Ilia Malinin
World champion Alysa Liu will skate the women’s short program for Team USA on the opening day. Liu’s powerful jumps and competitive experience make her a key contributor as the United States aims to defend its team title.
Japan will rely on three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori to close the first day in the women’s short and add crucial points for her team. On the men’s side, two-time world medal favourite Ilia Malinin is slated for the men’s short on Saturday and is expected to be among the top scorers for Team USA.
Opening order and format
Ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States will open the competition with the rhythm dance on Friday. Points from each discipline — ice dance, pairs, women and men — accumulate across three days to determine the team event standings.
Each team fields skaters in four segments (ice dance, pairs, women’s single, men’s single), and placements convert to points. The short programs and rhythm dance at the start set the tone; the men’s free on Sunday will decide the final team standings.
Past results and context
The United States won the team event at Beijing 2022, with Japan finishing second. That top-two order repeated at the 2025 World Team Trophy, where Italy placed third.
Chock and Bates are the only returning members from the USA’s 2022 gold-medal squad. Japan brings several Beijing podium returnees, including Sakamoto, Kagiyama Yuma, Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi.
How to follow
Watch event highlights and live updates on the official Milano Cortina channels: YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3ef0mTN_RDliSRsrIEbHg), X (@milanocortina26), Instagram (@milanocortina2026).
The team event offers a fast-paced start to Olympic figure skating, spotlighting big names like Alysa Liu and Sakamoto Kaori as their nations chase early momentum at Milano Cortina 2026.
Image Referance: https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/alysa-liu-sakamoto-kaori-usa-japan-first-day-team-event-winter-olympics-2026-all-skaters-full-list-schedule