Two-time world champion Shoma Uno and Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama face off at home at NHK Trophy in Japan, which will determine the last spots for December’s Grand Prix Final.
Peacock streams live coverage starting late Thursday night of the sixth and last Grand Prix Series figure skating event leading up to the Final.
Uno, 25, went undefeated last season, then finished second in his 2023-24 season opener in China two weeks ago.
Another top-two finish at NHK Trophy will get him to the Grand Prix Final, which takes the top six per discipline over the six-event Grand Prix Series and is often a preview of March’s world championships.
Kagiyama, 20, was third in his Grand Prix season opener in France three weeks ago. He missed most of last season with left leg and ankle bone injuries. Kagiyama likely needs to place first or second this week to make the Final.
The women’s field includes South Korean Lee Hae-In, last season’s world silver medalist who was fourth in her previous Grand Prix start this fall. Lee will qualify for the Final if she wins this week and possibly if she finishes second.
Mai Mihara of Japan, the 2022 Grand Prix Final champion, is also entered this week. She cannot qualify for this year’s Final because she withdrew before her previous Grand Prix with a right ankle injury.
In pairs, Americans Chelsea Liu and Balázs Nagy have an outside shot at qualifying for the Final. They must outscore at least one team that is ranked ahead of them this season, though. Liu and Nagy took bronze at Skate America last month.
In ice dance, world silver medalists Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri and Brits Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are likely to fill the last two Grand Prix Final spots.
The rest of the world’s top skaters this season, including Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ilia Malinin and Isabeau Levito, already qualified for the Final after completing their two Grand Prix starts.
NHK Trophy Broadcast Schedule
| Day | Event | Time (ET) | Platform |
| Thursday | Rhythm Dance | 10:25-11:46 p.m. | Peacock |
| Friday | Women’s Short | 12:15-1:50 a.m. | Peacock |
| Pairs’ Short | 2:15-3:25 a.m. | Peacock | |
| Men’s Short | 5-6:35 a.m. | Peacock | |
| Free Dance | 9:50-11:25 p.m. | Peacock | |
| Women’s Free | 11:50 p.m.-2:20 a.m. | Peacock | |
| Saturday | Pairs’ Free | 3:10-4:50 a.m. | Peacock |
| Men’s Free | 5:30-7:40 a.m. | Peacock | |
| Exhibition Gala | 11:20 p.m.-3 a.m. | Peacock | |
| Sunday | Highlights | 3-6 p.m.* | NBC |
*Delayed broadcast.