Each event consists of a qualifying session and a main session. The qualifying session is held on the first two days and the morning of the third day. The main session is held on the third and fourth days. World Tour Points are awarded for performance in the main session only.
The qualifying session may consist of preliminaries, heats and quarterfinals, depending on the number of registered competitors per distance. The main session may consist of a repechage, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
Event format
Qualifying session
Main session
Day 3
Day 4
Men
500 m
H
R, QF, SF, F
1000 m
H
R, QF, SF, F
1500 m
QF
R, SF, F
5000 m relay
QF
SF
F
Women
500 m
H
R, QF, SF, F
1000 m
H
R, QF, SF, F
1500 m
QF
R, SF, F
3000 m relay
SF, F
Mixed
2000 m relay
QF
SF
F
Entry rules
Maximum number of competitors
Each ISU member country may register up to a maximum of 6 men and 6 women per event. Each ISU member determines its own selection procedure. For team USA, national qualifiers are held from 11-14 September 2025.[3] Team Canada is selected based on performance in the previous season.[4] A maximum of three competitors per country can participate in any individual distance.
Qualifying times
All competitors must have achieved a qualifying time over 500 meters at an official ISU event after July 1st, 2023. A competitor who is the country´s sole representative in his or her category must have achieved a time of 45.04 seconds (men) or 47.21 seconds (women). For ISU member countries that register more than one competitor per category, the qualifying times of 43.46 seconds (men) or 45.56 seconds (women) apply.
Qualifying times in seconds over 500 meter
ISU members with only one competitor
ISU members with more than one competitor
men
45.04
43.46
women
47.21
45.56
Points and classifications
Skaters and teams score points per distance in each of the four events.
World Tour rankings
The World Tour ranking per distance is established by the sum of the best three scores of each competitor. An overall individual ranking is established by the best nine scores of each skater across all individual distances.The winner is awarded the Crystal Globe for best short-track speed skater of the World Tour. An overall World Team Classification is computed by adding all individual results from all categories plus three times the score in each team event. The winning team is awarded the Crystal Globe for best short-track team of the World Tour.
Special Olympic Qualification Classifications
The Olympic Qualification Classification uses the points awarded for the World Ranking. In each race, the highest placed skater of a country earns points for the first olympic quota place of that country. The country´s second placed skater earns points for the second quota place of that country and the country´s third placed skater earns points for the third quota place of that country. The best three of four results count to determine quota place allocation for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Montreal[1]
Gdańsk
Dordrecht[2]
Rim Jong-un
Sun Long
Pietro Sighel
Shogo Miyata
Corinne Stoddard
Hanne Desmet
United States