Curling is one of the most strategic sports at the Winter Games, and the tournaments at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics follow a structured format that determines who advances to the medal rounds. With three events — men’s, women’s and mixed doubles — taking place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, understanding how the competition works helps clarify how teams reach the podium.
Team USA’s Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin already secured silver in mixed doubles on Feb. 10, falling 6-5 to Sweden in the gold-medal match. Now attention shifts to the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Here is how the Olympic curling tournaments operate.
Curling Basics: Ice Sheet, House, and Scoring Rules
Curling is played on a 45-meter-long sheet of ice, with two teams sliding granite stones toward a circular target called the house, according to NBC’s official Olympics website. The house features four rings and a center point known as the button. The goal is to place stones closer to the button than the opposing team.
Each men’s and women’s team consists of four players: lead, second, third and fourth. Players deliver two stones each per end, for a total of 16 stones. Mixed doubles teams consist of two players and play eight ends instead of 10.
Points are awarded after each end. The team with the stone closest to the button scores one point, plus one additional point for each stone closer than the opponent’s nearest stone. If no stones remain in the house, the end is considered blank and no points are scored.
If teams are tied after 10 ends in men’s and women’s play, or after eight ends in mixed doubles, an extra end is played. Additional ends continue until a winner is determined.
Winter Olympics Curling Round-Robin Format and Playoff Qualification
All three Olympic disciplines feature 10 teams. In the preliminary round, each team plays every other team once. After the round-robin concludes, the four teams with the best records advance to the semifinals.
If standings are unclear due to tied records, tie-breaking procedures determine the final four. In the semifinals, the top-ranked team faces the fourth-place team, while the second-place team plays the third-place team.
The winners advance to the gold-medal match. The semifinal losers compete for bronze.
Game Length, Thinking Time, and Concessions
Men’s and women’s games consist of 10 ends, while mixed doubles games have eight ends. Each men’s and women’s team receives 38 minutes of thinking time per game. Mixed doubles teams receive 22 minutes.
There are scheduled breaks between ends, including a five-minute halftime break. Each team can call one 60-second timeout per game to consult with a coach.
In round-robin play, teams may concede after six ends in men’s and women’s competition. During playoff games, at least eight ends must be completed before conceding.
Concessions are considered standard etiquette when a comeback is no longer realistic.
Understanding the Hammer, Last Stone Draw, Hog Line, and Sweeping
The hammer refers to which team throws the final stone in an end. Having the hammer provides a strategic advantage.
To determine the hammer in round-robin games, teams compete in a last stone draw after pre-game practice. Each team delivers two stones toward the tee, and officials measure the distance from the button. The team with the better result chooses whether to throw first or second in the opening end.
In playoff games, the team with the better round-robin record chooses hammer in the first end. If records are identical, the winner of their earlier matchup makes the choice.
Players release stones before the hog line for them to remain in play. As stones travel down the ice, teammates sweep in front to control speed and direction.
If a stone fails to cross the scoring-side hog line, it is removed from play.
How Do the Curling Tournaments Work at the 2026 Winter Olympics?