The International Skating Union (ISU) has published Communication No. 2812, replacing Communication No. 2550 and introducing updates to the World Standings (WS) system for single skating, pair skating, and ice dance.

Rather than overhauling the ranking system, the ISU has revised the distribution of World Standings points while maintaining the existing methodology. In addition, the communication formally introduces the upcoming Grand Prix Semi-Final into the World Standings beginning with the 2027-28 season.

Revised World Standings Points

The ISU summarizes the changes simply:

“Compared to Communication No. 2550, the distribution of WS points has been slightly modified.”

Although the ranking methodology itself remains unchanged, the ISU has revised the value of several major competitions. The largest increases are for the Grand Prix Final, Grand Prix events, and the World Junior Championships, while regular International Competitions will now award fewer World Standings points.

Comparison of Winner’s Points

While the ISU describes the changes as “slight,” the revised point distribution places greater emphasis on ISU Championships and Grand Prix events. For example, winners of the Grand Prix Final now receive 1,000 World Standings points, up from 800, while Grand Prix victories increase from 400 to 500 points. Likewise, World Junior Championships receive a significant boost, increasing from 500 to 600 points. By comparison, Senior International Competitions now award 200 World Standings points to the winner, down from 250.

Grand Prix Semi-Finals Added

One of the few structural additions in the communication is the inclusion of the Grand Prix Semi-Final as a World Standings event beginning with the 2027-28 season.

The World Standings table awards points to the top six finishers:

The communication also lists Grand Prix Semi-Finals among the eligible competitions for World Standings points beginning in 2027-28. At this time, however, the ISU has not yet published the competition format or qualification procedures for the new event.

From a World Standings perspective, the event is worth more points than a regular Grand Prix (500 points for the winner) but fewer than the European or Four Continents Championships (850 points), placing it among the highest-valued events outside the ISU Championships and Grand Prix Final.

What Remains the Same

Although the points have been adjusted, the World Standings system itself remains largely unchanged.

Results Counted

As before, the same limits continue to apply for counting results over the current season and the previous two seasons:

Separate World Standings will continue to be maintained for the overall standings and the Junior World Standings.

Season Weighting

Only a skater’s best results count toward the World Standings. For example, only the best two Grand Prix results earned in a season are counted, and only the best four Grand Prix results over the three-season period are included in the standings.

In addition, following each World Championships, results from the oldest season continue to be removed from the standings.

Existing Rules Continue

Communication No. 2812 retains several long-standing provisions, including:

• New pair skating and ice dance partnerships begin with zero World Standings points, with no transfer of points from previous partnerships.
• Challenger Series and International Competitions must continue to meet minimum participation and officiating requirements to award World Standings points.
• Regional events and invitation-only competitions remain ineligible for World Standings points.

Looking Ahead

Overall, the revised point distribution places greater emphasis on success at the sport’s highest-profile events. Victories at the Grand Prix Final, Grand Prix events, World Championships, and World Junior Championships are all worth more than under the previous system, while Senior International Competitions now carry less weight in the World Standings.

Communication No. 2812 does not fundamentally change how the ISU World Standings are calculated. Instead, it updates the value of results across the international calendar and reflects the introduction of Grand Prix Semi-Finals into the World Standings beginning in 2027-28.

As a result, the revised point distribution will influence future World Standings, which continue to be used for Grand Prix selection as well as draws and starting orders at ISU events.

Paula Slater

Paula is the founder of Golden Skate, which she launched in 1999. She has followed figure skating for more than four decades and has covered the Olympic Winter Games, ISU World Championships, and numerous other international competitions. A retired U.S. Army veteran with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Paula is dedicated to delivering accurate journalism, in-depth athlete interviews, and comprehensive resources that serve the global figure skating community.