2025 World Figure Skating Championships

Men's singles

Defending World champion Ilia Malinin of the United States had not lost a competition all season and entered the competition heavily favored to win. Malinin was grieved by the loss of friends and training partners who had died in the Potomac crash and said he wanted to deliver a performance that he and everyone could be proud of. When asked about rivals, Malinin responded, "I would consider myself to be my biggest rival... I always like to compete against myself and to really just push my own limit."

Yuma Kagiyama of Japan entered the World Championships after losing to Cha Jun-hwan of South Korea at the 2025 Asian Winter Games. Experimenting with new technical content and new jumps had led to a very inconsistent season, and a World Championship medal, although in reach, was not a certainty. Adam Siao Him Fa of France, who had been the last skater to beat Malinin in competition, had also had an inconsistent season, having lost his European Championship title to Lukas Britschgi of Switzerland and also having withdrawn from the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final due to a persistent ankle injury, which had affected his performance and caused mistakes throughout the season. The injury's effect on his stamina was visible at the 2024 Cup of China, where he had appeared visibly exhausted at the end of the free skate. To help his ankle heal properly, and to achieve some consistency, Siao Him Fa chose to simplify his technical content for the World Championship.

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan, who had replaced Siao Him Fa at the Grand Prix Final and ultimately finished there in fourth place, had also recently won the 2025 Four Continents Championships by a margin of twenty points. Additionally, Shaidorov had become the first skater to land a difficult triple Axel-quadruple toe loop jump combination earlier in the season.

Women's singles

Unlike the men's event, there was no clear front-runner in the leadup to the women's event. Three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan had struggled throughout the season, finishing third at the Grand Prix Final and second at the 2025 Asian Winter Games. Sakamoto admitted that she did not feel fully ready for the World Championships due to an adjustment in program difficulty, and questioned whether her stamina was ready for the demands of her free skate program this season. Sakamoto also faced pressure in Japan to maintain her high standards, with five out of the six skaters qualifying for the Grand Prix Final having come from Japan.

Reigning World silver medalist Isabeau Levito of the United States had missed out on most of the season due to a foot injury that had prevented her from skating for three months. At the Road to 26 Trophy, an Olympic test event in Milan in February, she acknowledged she was still not completely fit, and there were concerns as to how she would do at the World Championships. Amber Glenn, also of the United States, was undefeated in competition this season, having won the 2024 Grand Prix de France and the 2024 Cup of China, as well as the Grand Prix Final.

Reigning World bronze medalist Kim Chae-yeon of South Korea had won the biggest title of her career at the 2025 Four Continents Championships with personal bests in the short program, free skate, and total score. Additionally, she had won the gold medal at the Asian Winter Games. Despite having lost the Grand Prix Final, she had performed consistently well during the second half of the season and was favored to win a medal at the World Championships.

Alysa Liu of the United States, who won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, had returned to competition this season after a two-year hiatus. She had finished in second place at the 2025 U.S. Championships and fourth at the Four Continents Championships. After the Four Continents Championships, she discussed the challenges and enjoyment of returning to competitive skating. "It's been so hard this season," she stated. "I mean, of course, this was really hard to get through to, but it felt a lot lighter, and I could actually move through it with enjoyment."

Pairs

After winning the 2024 Skate Canada International and the 2024 Finlandia Trophy, the reigning World Champions, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Canada, ultimately withdrew from the Grand Prix Final due to Deschamps being ill. They also physically struggled at the 2025 Four Continents Championships after Stellato-Dudek fell during practice and injured her back. On a more positive note, it was announced that Stellato-Dudek had officially become a Canadian citizen, allowing her and Deschamps to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Reigning silver medalists and 2023 World Champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara faced inconsistency, as multiple issues with their side-by-side jumps throughout the season led to losses at competitions throughout the season, notably at the Grand Prix Final. They regained some momentum with a win at the Four Continents Championships over Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany continued to maintain the momentum that had begun the previous season by winning both the Grand Prix Final and the 2025 European Championships. Their only loss of the season had been at the 2024 Cup of China, where mistakes in their short program led to a second-place finish. After a difficult season both personally and professionally, Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii of Italy returned to form throughout the season, winning the 2024 Cup of China and finishing second at the 2024 Grand Prix de France.

Ice dance

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain were the only ice dance team to win two Grand Prix events this season – the 2024 Skate America and the 2024 Finlandia Trophy – although they finished in third place at the 2025 European Championships. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean of Great Britain, four-time World Champions in ice dance, voiced their support for Fear and Gibson, with Torvill noting that "they have taken ice dancing in Great Britain to another level". Dean was confident that momentum was on their side, stating, "there's the word of mouth around the events, the judges, the panel, the public perception of them, how the audience react – it does influence."

The reigning silver medalists, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada, had had a disappointing Grand Prix season; although they won the 2024 Skate Canada International, they had lost at the 2024 Finlandia Trophy to Fear and Gibson. Their struggles continued at the Grand Prix Final, where they finished in fifth place after a fall in the rhythm dance. Their momentum had shifted by February, when they won the 2025 Four Continents Championships.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States had also had an inconsistent season, losing to Fear and Gibson at the 2024 Skate America and to Gillies and Poirier at the 2025 Four Continents Championships. Additionally, their "Tour of the Decades"-themed rhythm dance had undergone multiple changes throughout the season. Despite these setbacks, they had won the Grand Prix Final in December, as well as the 2024 NHK Trophy.

The reigning bronze medalists, Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy, had the most polarizing free dance of the season, where the two portrayed robots. Despite the negative feedback to their robot program, Guignard and Fabbri won the 2024 Cup of China and the 2025 European Championships. Acknowledging the criticisms they had received about their routine from both fans and judges, Fabbri stated, "We don't want to be remembered as a couple who can only do one type of thing... We've changed styles several times. That's how we want people to remember us."

Single skating

Women competing in single skating first performed their short programs on Wednesday, March 26, while men performed theirs on Thursday, March 27. Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds, the short program had to include the following elements:

For men: one double or triple Axel; one triple or quadruple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, two triple jumps, or a quadruple jump and a double jump or triple jump; one flying spin; one camel spin or sit spin with a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and a step sequence using the full ice surface.

For women: one double or triple Axel; one triple jump; one jump combination consisting of a double jump and a triple jump, or two triple jumps; one flying spin; one layback spin, sideways leaning spin, camel spin, or sit spin without a change of foot; one spin combination with a change of foot; and one step sequence using the full ice surface.

The top 24 skaters after completion of their short programs moved on to the free skating component. Women performed their free skates on Friday, March 28, while men performed theirs on Sunday, March 30. The free skate performance for both men and women could last no more than 4 minutes, and had to include the following: seven jump elements, of which one had to be an Axel-type jump; three spins, of which one had to be a spin combination, one had to be a flying spin, and one had to be a spin with only one position; a step sequence; and a choreographic sequence.

Pair skating

Couples competing in pair skating also first performed their short programs on Wednesday, March 26. Lasting no more than 2 minutes 40 seconds, the short program had to include the following elements: one pair lift, one double or triple twist lift, one double or triple throw jump, one double or triple solo jump, one solo spin combination with a change of foot, one death spiral, and a step sequence using the full ice surface.