2025 World Figure Skating Championships Set to Dazzle in Boston

Ilia Malinin © Pinterest

Mark your calendars, skating fans—March 25-30, 2025, is about to bring a whirlwind of spins, jumps, and jaw-dropping performances to TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts! The 2025 World Figure Skating Championships are gearing up to be an electrifying showdown, with medals up for grabs in men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance, plus coveted quotas for the 2026 World Championships and the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. And this year, the ice is sizzling with an extra layer of intrigue: Russia and Belarus remain banned due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, shaking up the field and giving the spotlight to a fresh wave of global talent.

A Historic Stage and High Stakes

TD Garden, a Boston icon that last hosted Worlds in 2016, is ready to welcome nearly 15,000 fans per event, filling the arena with the roar of anticipation. Kicking off with official practice sessions on March 23-24, the competition explodes into action on March 26 with the women’s and pairs short programs. The week unfolds with a packed schedule: March 27 brings the men’s short program and pairs free skate, followed by the rhythm dance and women’s free skate on March 28. The intensity peaks on March 29 with the free dance and men’s free skate—where hometown hero Jason Brown is poised for a defining moment—before wrapping up with the dazzling Exhibition of Champions on March 30.

This isn’t just about gold, silver, and bronze. The results here will determine which nations secure spots for the next big stages in 2026, making every triple axel and twizzle a high-stakes gamble.

Stars to Watch and a Shifted Landscape

The lineup is stacked with talent ready to seize the moment. Ilia Malinin, the American quad-jumping sensation, will face off against Japan’s Shoma Uno, a master of artistry and precision. On the women’s side, Isabeau Levito aims to captivate for the USA, while ice dance powerhouses Madison Chock and Evan Bates look to dominate. Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara are set to soar in pairs, promising a competition that’s as unpredictable as it is thrilling.

But let’s talk about the elephant not in the room—or rather, not on the ice. Russia, a perennial skating juggernaut, and Belarus are sidelined once again, a consequence of the International Skating Union’s ban tied to the Ukraine conflict. Historically, Russian skaters have swept podiums with their technical prowess and depth, but their absence opens the door wide for others to shine. Will the USA capitalize on home ice? Can Japan solidify its rising dynasty? Or will an underdog steal the show? The ban has turned this championship into a global free-for-all, and the tension is palpable.

Who’s Eligible and What It Takes

To even step onto this ice, skaters need to be 17 by July 1, 2024, and have nailed ISU minimum technical scores—like 104 for men—from the 2023-24 or 2024-25 seasons. These benchmarks ensure only the best of the best compete, setting the stage for a display of skill that’ll leave you speechless.

Why You Can’t Miss It

Boston’s TD Garden isn’t just hosting a competition—it’s hosting a revolution. With Russia and Belarus out, the power dynamics are shifting, and the skaters know it. Every performance is a chance to rewrite history, to claim a legacy, and to ignite the road to the Olympics. Whether you’re cheering for Malinin’s gravity-defying quads, Uno’s poetic finesse, or Brown’s emotional masterpiece, this is figure skating at its most raw and exhilarating.

The 2025 World Figure Skating Championships are coming—and they’re bringing the drama, the glory, and a whole new era with them.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer