The stage is set for a thrilling finale in the men’s figure skating event at the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan. After a dazzling short program on February 10, the world’s elite skaters are ready to chase Olympic glory. Among the top contenders are Ilia Malinin (USA), Yuma Kagiyama (JPN), and Maxim Naumov (USA), with Malinin currently leading the pack.
Here is your essential guide to the men’s free skate program, including the schedule, key timings, and what to watch for as the competition heats up.
Winter Olympics 2026: Men’s Free Skate Schedule
The men’s free skate program will be held on Friday, February 13, at 19:00 CET (1:00 PM ET) at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, and will run until approximately 23:15 CET. Live coverage in the United States will be available on Peacock, USA Network, NBC, and NBCOlympics.com.
Malinin is expected to compete around 4:45 PM ET. Kagiyama, who finished in second behind Malinin in the short, is expected to compete around 4:30 PM ET, a little earlier than Malinin. And finally, for Naumov, after his 14th-place finish in the short, he is scheduled to compete in the mid- to late group.
It is expected to be a close finish for who will grab gold in the event, with Kagiyama trailing Malinin by just 5 points. Adam Siao Him Fa (France), who placed 3rd, and Daniel Graasl (Italy), who finished 4th, are also following closely behind, looking to secure Olympic success.
Malinin On His Performance In The Short Program
Malinin arrived in Milan as a frontrunner for Olympic gold, fresh off his victory at the 2025 World Championships in Boston and a third straight Grand Prix Final title, cementing his status among the sport’s elite.
In an interview after his performance in the short, where he recorded 108.16 points, Malinin reflected on his performance:
“I felt really comfortable today. I definitely wanted to take a different approach as opposed to the team event. I think I just went out there and that [feeling of] Olympic atmosphere really blew me away… I got maybe a little too excited. Now that I’ve gotten three performances under Olympic ice, I think that I’ve really tamed the Olympic ice.”
Kagiyama also had a strong 2025-26 season, finishing 2nd overall at the Grand Prix Final behind Malinin. He also finished 1st at the Finlandia Trophy and will be looking to get one over Malinin this time around to grab his first Olympic gold medal.
