ATHLETE SELECTION PROCEDURES FOR 2026 GAMES—PRELIMINARY NOTICE
Photo by: Bob Weder
[EAGAN, MN, December 21, 2023] — To provide as much information as early as possible, USA Curling is releasing the Preliminary Notice to Athlete Selection Procedures, Olympic Games, Milan/Cortina 2026 for Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Doubles curling.
These procedures await final approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), but the basic principles for qualification to the Team Trials and the Mixed Doubles Team Trials have been established.
Important details related to the Men’s & Women’s Olympic Team Trials include:
Trials will take place during Q4 of 2025. Exact dates and location to be announced. The deadline for submission of host bids for these Trials was last week, and USA Curling is currently reviewing several excellent proposals.
Four teams of each gender will qualify for the Trials.
The winning teams of the upcoming Men’s and Women’s National Championships will secure a Trials berth if they finish in sixth place or higher at the 2024 Men’s or Women’s World Championships.
Important details related to the Mixed Doubles Olympic Team Trials include:
Trials will take place in February/early March of 2025. Exact dates and location to be announced. USA Curling is currently reviewing host bids.
Three teams will qualify based on results at the 2024 Mixed Doubles National Championship.
Four teams will qualify through a Pre-Trials event held in August of 2024. Exact dates and location to be announced.
Two teams will qualify through Qualifying Events held in fall of 2024.
One team will qualify through the WCF World Mixed Doubles Ranking.
USA Curling anticipates approval of these procedures by the USOPC, and will make the procedures available in a formal selection document template as soon as that occurs.
Katie Baker, USA Curling Sporting Director, noted, "With the 2026 Games fast approaching, we want to keep competitors as informed as possible. We appreciate the extensive collaboration we have had with the Athletes’ Advisory Council and the athlete community throughout this process, and believe these Trials will produce excellent representatives.”
All competitors are encouraged to review the Men’s/Women’s and Mixed Doubles documents.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
