ISU Figure Skating European Championships: Sheffield in numbers

The 117^th edition of the ISU Figure Skating European Championships in Sheffield (GBR) delivered sensational and eye-catching performances and numbers on the ice, in the arena and around the world.

The Steel City welcomed the European Championships for the second time and the first since 2012, producing an outstanding atmosphere from the start of competition on 14 January through to the Exhibition Gala in front of a sold-out arena on Sunday 18 January.

Athletes thank the crowd in the Gala Exhibition during the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2026 in Sheffield, England. © ISU

The reach and impact was felt far beyond the boundaries of the English venue, with digital engagement soaring above that of the previous edition in Tallinn, Estonia, a year before. 

The key numbers at a glance:

• A total of 157 Skaters/Couples participated, representing 36 ISU Members.
• Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri earned their sixth Ice Dance medal when finishing second during their 14^th participation at the Championships. 

 Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy compete in the Ice Dance free dance at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2026 in Sheffield, England. © ISU

• Guillaume Cizeron’s gold medal at the same category was his sixth overall victory and his first in partnership with Laurence Fournier Beaudry.

 Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France perform in the Gala Exhibition at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2026 in Sheffield, England.  © ISU

• 146 members of the media were accredited to the event, taking stories of the action to audiences all over the world. 
• The reach and visibility of content on ISU’s channels more than trebled when compared to the period of the previous edition in 2025, with 36.8 million impressions during the competition.

Niina Petrokina of Estonia performs in the Gala Exhibition at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2026 in Sheffield, England  © ISU

• Video views of the action were particularly engaging to skating’s social community with an aggregate in excess of 12 million views on Instagram (up 328% compared to 2025) and TikTok combined and over 18 million views across all platforms.
• ISU owned and operated social media channels attracted more than 12,500 new followers over the course of the week, attracting new audiences and fans.
• 30% more social posts were produced during the course of the week compared with the coverage in Tallinn in 2025 with the increased production volume and output reflecting storytelling opportunities in Figure Skating.

Digital figures are related to international, English language channels only. ISU has bespoke channels for dedicated engagement with audiences in Asia through WeChat, Line, Naver, Weibo, Douyin, RED and Billibilli.