U.S. Figure Skating announced the schedule for the 2026-27 National Qualifying Series. This series includes singles, pairs, and ice dance competitions.
Almost 1,500 skaters from around the country will compete at 21 different events. The series starts in July and goes through October. The National Qualifying Series Finals happen in November.
The best skaters at each level move on to three regional competitions: Eastern, Midwestern, and Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final. Pairs and ice dance skaters advance to the U.S. Pairs Finals and U.S. Ice Dance Finals.
The National Qualifying Series helps skaters qualify for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
This year has some new changes. Younger skaters at the juvenile, intermediate, and novice levels can now advance from the Finals to a new competition called the U.S. Development Team Championships.
Preliminary and pre-juvenile singles competition levels can now compete in the National Qualifying Series. These skaters can advance to their Sectional Finals. These athletes will continue to be eligible for selection to the National High Performance Development Team. Training camps held in spring 2027.
2026-27 National Qualifying Series Schedule:
| Dates | Event | Location | Disciplines |
| July 9-12, 2026 | Dallas Classic | Plano, Texas | Ice Dance |
| July 23-26, 2026 | Cactus Classic | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Singles |
| July 27-30, 2026 | Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships | Lake Placid, N.Y. | Ice Dance |
| July 30-Aug. 2, 2026 | Glacier Falls Summer Classic | Anaheim, Calif. | Singles, Pairs |
| July 30-Aug. 1, 2026 | Scott Hamilton Invitational | Nashville, Tenn. | Singles |
| Aug. 4-8, 2026 | Cranberry Open | Norwood, Mass. | Singles |
| Aug. 6-8, 2026 | First Coast Classic | Jacksonville, Fla. | Singles |
| Aug. 12-15, 2026 | Philadelphia Summer Championships | Aston Township, Penn. | Singles, Pairs |
| Aug. 12-16, 2026 | Skate the Lake | Pleasant Prairie, Wisc. | Singles |
| Aug. 13-16, 2026 | PNIC Championship | Wenatchee, Wash. | Singles |
| Aug. 19-22, 2026 | Skate Detroit | Bloomfield Township, Mich. | Singles, Pairs, Ice Dance |
| Aug. 21-23, 2026 | Potomac Memorial Open | Ashburn, Va. | Singles |
| Sept. 4-6, 2026 | Peach Open | Duluth, Ga. | Singles |
| Sept. 8-11, 2026 | The 100th Annual Middle Atlantic Figure Skating Championships | New York, N.Y. | Singles, Pairs |
| Sept. 10-13, 2026 | Greater Chicagoland Fall Invitational | Evanston, Ill. | Singles, Pairs |
| Sept. 11-13, 2026 | Skate St. Moritz | Oakland, Calif. | Singles |
| Sept. 17-20, 2026 | Maplewood Fall Classic | Vadnais Heights, Minn. | Singles |
| Sept. 17-20, 2026 | Oktoberfest | Cottonwood Heights, Utah | Singles |
| Sept. 24-27, 2026 | Challenge Cup | Ardmore, Penn. | Ice Dance |
| Sept. 24-27, 2026 | Austin Autumn Classic | Leander, Texas | Singles |
| Oct. 1-4, 2026 | Boston Open | Norwood, Mass. | Singles, Pairs |
| Oct. 1-4, 2026 | Broadmoor Fall Classic | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Singles, Ice Dance |
| Oct. 2-4, 2026 | LA Autumn Classic | El Segundo, Calif. | Singles |
2026-27 National Qualifying Series Finals Schedule:
| Nov. 2-8, 2026 | Eastern Sectional Singles & U.S. Pairs Final | Norwood, Mass. | Singles, Pairs |
| Nov. 9-15, 2026 | Midwestern Sectional Singles & U.S. Ice Dance Final | Bloomfield Township, Mich. | Singles, Ice Dance |
| Nov. 16-22, 2026 | Pacific Coast Sectional Singles Final | San Jose, Calif. | Singles |