World Figure Skating Championships - Qualifying

Qualifying

Figure skaters are entered into the championships by country. Each International Skating Union Member (national association) may enter one skater or team in each event. Some countries are permitted to enter 2 or 3 participants if their skaters performed well at the previous championship.

Because of the large number of entries at the World Championships, for some years the event included qualifying rounds for men and ladies in addition to the normal short program and free skating components. After the 2006 championships in Calgary, Canada, the ISU Congress voted to eliminate the qualifying round for single skaters, leaving just the short program and free skating. After the short program, the top 24 single skaters and top 20 pairs advance to the free skate. In ice dance, the top 30 couples in the compulsory dance advance to the original dance, and the top 24 couples after the original dance advance to the free dance.

Skaters qualify for the World Championships by belonging to a member nation of the ISU. Each country gets one entry in every discipline by default. The most entries a country can have in a single discipline is three. Countries earn a second or third entry for the following year's competition by earning points through skater placement. The points are equal to the sum of the placements of the country's skaters (top two if they have three). Entries do not carry over and so countries must continue to earn their second or third spot every year. If a country only has one skater/team, that skater/team must place in the top ten to earn a second entry and in the top two to earn three entries to next year's championships. If a country has two skaters/teams, the combined placement of those teams must be 13 or fewer to qualify 3 entries, and 28 or fewer to keep their two entries. If they do not do so, they only have one entry for the following year.

Number of skaters/teams	To earn 3 entries	To earn 2 entries
1	Place in the top 2	Place in the top 10
2	Total placements is equal to or less than 13	Total placements is equal to or less than 28
3	Top two placements is equal to or less than 13	Top two placements is equal to or less than 28

There are exceptions if a skater is forced to withdraw in the middle of the competition due to a medical emergency or equipment problems.

Which skaters from each country attend the World Championships is at the national governing body's discretion. Some countries rely on the results of their national championships while others have more varied criteria based on international success at competitions such as the European Figure Skating Championships and the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Selections vary by country.