Curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Qualification

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The curling competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics will feature a total of 30 teams. There will be 10 teams participating in each of the three disciplines: Men's, Women's, and Mixed Doubles. In the Men's and Women's events, each team will consist of 5 athletes, while the Mixed Doubles teams will have 2 athletes each. This means that a total of 120 athletes will be competing across all disciplines. [1]

Contents

Summary

Final summary

As the host country of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy will have teams participating in all three disciplines of curling. This marks Italy's second participation in the Women's event, with their previous appearance dating back to the last time Italy hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006. It will also mark Estonia's debut in curling at the Olympics.

Nations Men Women Mixed doubles Athletes
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg12
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Check-green.svg5
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Check-green.svg5
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Check-green.svg5
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia Check-green.svg2
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Check-green.svg5
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg12
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg12
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Check-green.svgCheck-green.svg7
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Check-green.svg5
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg12
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland Check-green.svgCheck-green.svgCheck-green.svg12
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Check-green.svg2
Total: 13 NOCs88896

Men

Means of qualificationDatesLocationQuotasQualified
Host nation1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Qualification points at the 2024 & 2025 World Championships30 March–7 April 2024 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Schaffhausen, Switzerland7Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
29 March–6 April 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Moose Jaw, Canada
Olympic Qualification Event 6–13 December 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kelowna, Canada2
Total10

Women

Means of qualificationDatesLocationQuotasQualified
Host nation1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Qualification points at the 2024 & 2025 World Championships16–24 March 2024 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sydney, Canada7Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China
15–23 March 2025 Flag of South Korea.svg Uijeongbu, South Korea
Olympic Qualification Event 6–13 December 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kelowna, Canada2
Total10

Mixed doubles

Means of qualificationDatesLocationQuotasQualified
Host nation1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Qualification points at the 2024 & 2025 World Championships20–27 April 2024 Flag of Sweden.svg Östersund, Sweden7Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
26 April–3 May 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Fredericton, Canada
Olympic Qualification Event 15–19 December 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kelowna, Canada2
Total10

Qualification timeline

Source: [2] [3]

EventDateVenue
2024 World Women's Curling Championship [4] 16–24 March 2024 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sydney, Canada
2024 World Men's Curling Championship [5] 30 March–7 April 2024 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Schaffhausen, Switzerland
2024 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship [6] 20–27 April 2024 Flag of Sweden.svg Östersund, Sweden
2025 World Women's Curling Championship [7] 15–23 March 2025 Flag of South Korea.svg Uijeongbu, South Korea
2025 World Men's Curling Championship [8] 29 March–6 April 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Moose Jaw, Canada
2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship [9] 26 April–3 May 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Fredericton, Canada
2025 Pre-Olympic Qualification Event [10] 7–11 October 2025 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Aberdeen, Great Britain
2025 Olympic Qualification Event [11] 6–19 December 2025 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kelowna, Canada

Qualification system

Qualification to the curling tournaments at the Winter Olympics will be determined through two methods. Nations will qualify teams by earning qualification points from performances at the 2024 and 2025 World Curling Championships. Teams will also qualify through an Olympic qualification event which will be held in December 2025. Seven nations will qualify teams via World Championship qualification points, while two nations will qualify through a qualification event to be held in December 2025. As host nation, Italy qualified teams automatically, thus making a total of ten teams per discipline in the curling tournaments. [2]

In case of a tie in qualification points, the following criteria will be employed to resolve such ties: firstly, preference will be given to the nation that most recently appeared at the World Championship; secondly, if necessary, preference will be given to the nation that performed better at the 2025 World Championship, if that is a tie then whichever nation performed better at the 2024 World Championship will win the tie; and finally, if neither of the first two criteria suffice, a playoff will be arranged between the tied teams at a time and venue determined by World Curling. [2]

Qualification points

The qualification points are allotted based on the nations' final rankings at the Men's and Women's World Championships. The points are distributed as follows:

Final rank12345678910111213
Points15131110987654321

The qualification points are allotted based on the nations' final rankings at the Mixed Doubles World Championships. The points are distributed as follows:

Final rank1234567891011121314151617181920
Points2723201816151413121110987654321

Note: Scotland, England and Wales all compete separately in international curling. By an agreement between the curling federations of those three home nations, only Scotland can score Olympic qualification points on behalf of Great Britain.

Qualification events

In order to qualify for the Olympic Qualification Event in the Men's and Women's disciplines, a nation must be ranked between 9th and 13th (or between 8th and 12th if Italy is not ranked in the top 8 teams of the discipline) based on the combined results of the 2024 and 2025 World Curling Championships. Alternatively, they can qualify by finishing in the top 3 at the Pre-Olympic Qualification Event. To be eligible for the Pre-Olympic Qualification Event, a nation must not have already qualified for the Olympics or the Olympic Qualification Event. They must have also qualified for either the 2024 or 2025 World Men's or Women's Championships, or have qualified in the A division of the 2024 or 2025 European Curling Championship or Pan Continental Curling Championships. [2]

In the Mixed Doubles event, a nation can qualify for the Olympic Qualification Event by participating in either the 2024 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship or the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. There will be no Pre-Olympic Qualification Event for this discipline. However, if the Olympic Qualification Event has less than 16 teams participating, the World Curling Federation Mixed Doubles Rankings as of May 1, 2025 will be used to determine the remaining berths until there are at least 16 teams participating in the Olympic Qualification Event. [2]

Qualification results

Key
Nation Qualified for the Olympic Games as host
Nation Qualified for the Olympic Games via Qualification Points from the 2024 & 2025 World Championships
Nation Qualified for the Olympic Games via the Olympic Qualification Event
Nation Qualified for the Olympic Qualification Event
Olympic rings without rims.svg Nation Qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics

Men

Country 2024 2025 Total Points Pre-OQE OQE 2026 WOG
PlacePointsPlacePoints
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 41011525 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 21331124 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1155924 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 7721320 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 598615 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 31110415 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1046812 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 957712 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6811311Q
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China X41010Q
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 113958Q
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 86X6Q
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 1221313Q
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria X1222Q
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 131X1Q
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia XX0Q
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei XX0Q
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark XX0Q
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines XX0Q
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland XX0Q

Women

Country 2024 2025 Total Points Pre-OQE OQE 2026 WOG [1]
PlacePointsPlacePoints
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 11511530 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 21321326 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 31141021 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 595918 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 687715 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 866814 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 41010414 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China X31111 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 958611Q
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 771229Q
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 113958Q
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1041137Q
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 122X2Q
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania X1311Q
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 131X1DNAX
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia XX0Q
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei XX0Q
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic XX0Q
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany XX0Q
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary XX0Q
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico XX0Q

Mixed doubles

Country 2024 2025 Total PointsWR OQE 2026 WOG
PlacePointsPlacePoints
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 22341841 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 12771441 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 81312740 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 61522338 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 32081333 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 51661531 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Switzerland.svg  Switzerland 418111028 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 101151627 Olympic rings without rims.svg
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 15632026Q
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 71412923Q
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 91213820Q
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 111014717Q
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 19291214Q
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 14715613Q
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 12917413Q
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland X101111Q
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 16516510Q
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 13819210Q
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1741837Q
Flag of France.svg  France 183X3Q
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2012012Q
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary XX016Q
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria XX024Q
Flag of Latvia (3-2).svg  Latvia XX026Q

Note: Scotland, England and Wales compete separately at international level in curling. By an agreement between the curling federations of those three nations, only Scotland can score Olympic qualification points on behalf of Great Britain.

National qualifying events

Some countries selected their teams through trial qualification tournaments.

References

  1. 1 2 "Olympic qualification". World Curling Federation. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Qualification System - XXV Olympic Winter Games - Milano Cortina 2026" (PDF). Olympics.com. February 12, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  3. "WORLD CURLING BEGINS SEARCH FOR OLYMPIC SEASON EVENT HOSTS". World Curling. June 7, 2024.
  4. "World Women's Curling Championship 2024". World Curling Federation. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  5. "World Men's Curling Championship 2024". World Curling Federation. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  6. "World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2024". World Curling Federation. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  7. "UIJEONGBU, KOREA TO HOST LGT WORLD WOMEN'S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP 2025". World Curling Federation. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  8. "World Men's Curling Championship 2025". Curling Canada. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. "Fredericton, Canada to host World Mixed Doubles and World Seniors 2025". World Curling Federation. June 27, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  10. "Aberdeen, Scotland to host Pre-Olympic Qualification Event 2025". World Curling. June 27, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  11. "Kelowna, Canada to host Olympic Qualification Event 2025". World Curling. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.