Chinese skaters Gong Li (first from left) and Sun Long (third from right) compete in the short track speed skating mixed team relay final at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games on February 10, 2026. Photo: Chen Tao/GT

Hosting BEIJING28, a new event that brings together four International Skating Union (ISU) World Championships in a single city, will help strengthen the winter sports culture in China's capital city, a sports observer told the Global Times on Thursday. 

The ISU unveiled BEIJING28 on Wednesday, an unprecedented event that will host four ISU World Championships alongside the ISU Skating Awards. 

The historic event will see the ISU Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Short Track and Synchronized Skating World Championships held in Beijing in 2028, the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, according to a statement released by the world skating governing body.

Hosting these events will maximize the legacy of Olympic venues in Beijing, provide Chinese athletes with home-ice experience against the world's best competitors while generating greater public interest in skating disciplines, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

The ISU has yet to announce a detailed competition schedule, but has confirmed three Olympic venues for the event: the National Indoor Stadium, Capital Indoor Stadium, and National Speed Skating Oval.

"For the first time, the pinnacle events of all ISU disciplines will share one stage, creating a truly global showcase of skating at its very best," the ISU said in the statement.

"More than a sporting event, BEIJING28 will be designed as the world's largest skating cultural moment - a city-wide festival extending far beyond the competition arenas and into the heart of the world's first dual Olympic city," it added.

Building a winter sports culture requires patience and sustained investment. Bringing major events to Beijing is one of the ways to foster that culture and inspire greater participation, Wang noted. 

Fans and visitors will be able to enjoy a range of activities during the event, including fan zones, cultural activities, athlete appearances and interactive digital experiences. 

ISU President Kim Jae-youl said in the statement, "BEIJING28 is far more than a new event - it is a bold vision for the future of skating. For the first time in our history, athletes, fans, broadcasters, partners, and stakeholders from every skating discipline will come together on one stage, creating a unique celebration that connects cultures, generations, and audiences from around the world."

"Working hand in hand with Beijing and China's winter sports sector, we will showcase the very best of our sport while creating new opportunities for fan engagement, storytelling, commercial partnerships and collaborations culminating in an unforgettable experience both inside and outside of the venues," Kim noted.

Positioned between Milano-Cortina 2026 and the French Alps 2030 Olympics, BEIJING28 will serve as the most significant international skating event of the Olympic cycle, the ISU said. 

Beijing has been recognized as the world's leading sports event city, according to the Leading International Sports Event Cities Influence Index 2025 released in February during an academic symposium at the Olympic Museum in Switzerland. 

During the 2026 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships held in Beijing in January, Chinese athletes in singles and pairs competition got a crucial final rehearsal on home ice before the Milano-Cortina Olympics.

Later this year, Beijing and Shanghai will hold the 2026/27 ISU Short Track World Tour from November to December. 

Additionally, the 2027 Speed Skating World Championships will be held in the capital from February 25 to 28, 2027. It will mark the return of the championships to China for the first time since the 2018 World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province.