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ISU Unites All World Championships in Beijing 2028
The International Skating Union (ISU) announced on Wednesday that it will bring together all four of its world championship events—figure skating, speed skating, short‑track speed skating, and synchronized skating—along with its annual awards ceremony to Beijing in 2028. The decision follows the city’s hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics and marks the first time the disciplines will compete in a single venue.
The announcement came from ISU president Jae Youl Kim, who said, "For the first time in our history, athletes, fans, broadcasters, partners and stakeholders from every skating discipline will come together on one stage." The event, branded as BEIJING28, will also feature the ISU Skating Awards, a ceremony that recognizes the top performers of the season.
Beijing will use the same ice rinks that were employed during the 2022 Games. Two of the venues that hosted figure skating and speed skating in 2022 will be reused, and the National Indoor Stadium—used for ice hockey during the Olympics—will also be part of the program. The ISU has not yet released specific dates for the championships.
The unified championships are positioned as a showcase for the sport. They will occur midway between the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Winter Games and the 2030 French Alps Winter Games, providing a high‑profile event for skaters, fans and sponsors in the lead‑up to the next Olympic cycle.
Synchronized skating, which is not part of the Olympic program, will be included for the first time in a world championship that also hosts the Olympic disciplines. The inclusion of all four disciplines in one city is intended to broaden the audience and highlight the diversity of skating.
The ISU, founded in 1892 in Scheveningen, Netherlands, is the governing body for all competitive ice sports. Its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. The organization has overseen the development of standardized rules and the organization of major international competitions, including the World Championships in each discipline.
Kim, who became the ISU’s first non‑European president in 2022, has also been active in the International Olympic Committee. In February 2026 he was elected to the IOC Executive Board, a move that underscores his influence in winter sports governance.
The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing from February 4 to 20, 2022. The Games used venues concentrated around Beijing, Yanqing District, and Zhangjiakou, with several events repurposing infrastructure from the 2008 Summer Olympics. The 2022 Games featured 109 medal events across 15 disciplines, including new mixed‑team competitions in freestyle skiing and short‑track speed skating.
The decision to host the unified championships in Beijing builds on the city’s experience with large‑scale winter sporting events. It also leverages the existing infrastructure, which has been maintained and upgraded since the 2022 Games.
The ISU has not yet confirmed the schedule for the 2028 championships. However, the organization stated that the event will use the two ice rinks that hosted figure skating and speed skating in 2022, as well as the National Indoor Stadium that hosted ice hockey.
The unified championships are expected to attract athletes from around the world, including top competitors in each discipline. The event will provide a platform for athletes to compete for world titles and for fans to experience a comprehensive skating festival.
The ISU’s decision to combine the championships is part of a broader strategy to increase visibility for all skating disciplines. By hosting the events in a single city, the organization aims to create a cohesive narrative for the sport and to strengthen its global fan base.
In summary, the International Skating Union will host a combined world championship event in Beijing in 2028, featuring figure skating, speed skating, short‑track speed skating, synchronized skating, and the annual awards ceremony. The event will use venues from the 2022 Winter Olympics and will be scheduled between the 2026 and 2030 Winter Games. The ISU has not yet released dates, but the unified championships represent a significant milestone for the sport.
The announcement came from ISU president Jae Youl Kim, who said, "For the first time in our history, athletes, fans, broadcasters, partners and stakeholders from every skating discipline will come together on one stage." The event, branded as BEIJING28, will also feature the ISU Skating Awards, a ceremony that recognizes the top performers of the season.
Beijing will use the same ice rinks that were employed during the 2022 Games. Two of the venues that hosted figure skating and speed skating in 2022 will be reused, and the National Indoor Stadium—used for ice hockey during the Olympics—will also be part of the program. The ISU has not yet released specific dates for the championships.
The unified championships are positioned as a showcase for the sport. They will occur midway between the 2026 Milan‑Cortina Winter Games and the 2030 French Alps Winter Games, providing a high‑profile event for skaters, fans and sponsors in the lead‑up to the next Olympic cycle.
Synchronized skating, which is not part of the Olympic program, will be included for the first time in a world championship that also hosts the Olympic disciplines. The inclusion of all four disciplines in one city is intended to broaden the audience and highlight the diversity of skating.
The ISU, founded in 1892 in Scheveningen, Netherlands, is the governing body for all competitive ice sports. Its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. The organization has overseen the development of standardized rules and the organization of major international competitions, including the World Championships in each discipline.
Kim, who became the ISU’s first non‑European president in 2022, has also been active in the International Olympic Committee. In February 2026 he was elected to the IOC Executive Board, a move that underscores his influence in winter sports governance.
The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing from February 4 to 20, 2022. The Games used venues concentrated around Beijing, Yanqing District, and Zhangjiakou, with several events repurposing infrastructure from the 2008 Summer Olympics. The 2022 Games featured 109 medal events across 15 disciplines, including new mixed‑team competitions in freestyle skiing and short‑track speed skating.
The decision to host the unified championships in Beijing builds on the city’s experience with large‑scale winter sporting events. It also leverages the existing infrastructure, which has been maintained and upgraded since the 2022 Games.
The ISU has not yet confirmed the schedule for the 2028 championships. However, the organization stated that the event will use the two ice rinks that hosted figure skating and speed skating in 2022, as well as the National Indoor Stadium that hosted ice hockey.
The unified championships are expected to attract athletes from around the world, including top competitors in each discipline. The event will provide a platform for athletes to compete for world titles and for fans to experience a comprehensive skating festival.
The ISU’s decision to combine the championships is part of a broader strategy to increase visibility for all skating disciplines. By hosting the events in a single city, the organization aims to create a cohesive narrative for the sport and to strengthen its global fan base.
In summary, the International Skating Union will host a combined world championship event in Beijing in 2028, featuring figure skating, speed skating, short‑track speed skating, synchronized skating, and the annual awards ceremony. The event will use venues from the 2022 Winter Olympics and will be scheduled between the 2026 and 2030 Winter Games. The ISU has not yet released dates, but the unified championships represent a significant milestone for the sport.
