Men's Figure Skating 2026 Predictions for Free Skate Final

The Men's Free Skate Final takes place on Sunday and concludesthe Team Event in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The United States enters the day with a lead in the Team Event standings but under greater pressure to perform up to expectations in pursuit of a gold medal.

What can fans expect from the Men's Free Skate Final, which will ultimately determine which country walks away with the most coveted prize in the sport?

Find out with this preview, including when and where to watch, as well as a prediction for Sunday's event.

Viewing Information

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Date: Sunday, February 8

Time: 3:55 - 5:00 p.m. EST

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

Prediction

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Ilia Malinin entered Saturday's short program as the overwhelming favorite to emerge victoriously, only to suffer a stunning upset loss to Yuma Kagiyama. The Japanese skater landed two quads and a triple toe loop to surge past the event favorite and best him by 10 full points.

Kagiyama will not compete in the free skate. Instead, Shun Sato will substitute for him.

Sunday's Men's Free Skate not only represents the end of the Team Event at this year's Olympics, but it also is a chance at redemption for an athlete many consider the world's best skater.

Malinin will know exactly what he needs to do secure the gold medal for his team by the time he takes the ice, as the men's long program is the finale of the Team Event. That reduces some of the pressure that is now on his shoulders following his runner-up performance Saturday.

While there is a far slimmer margin for error than there would have been had Malinin finished first Saturday, there is reason the be confident in him and his abilities to bring home the gold medal for the Americans in a sport they badly want to be tops in.

The 21-year-old Virginian held back Saturday, opting not to execute the move that famously earned him the "Quad God" nickname.

Expect him to leave all of his arsenal on the ice Sunday in search of the first-place finish that eluded him in his first outing in Milano.

Prediction: Milanin secures the gold medal for the Americans in the team event