The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will kick off with the mixed doubles event on February 4 and will culminate with the women’s team gold medal match on February 22, lasting around three weeks. All events, including men’s team, women’s team, and mixed doubles, will take place at the Cortina Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town in the Dolomitic Alps that was originally constructed for the 1956 Winter Olympic Games.
The men’s and women’s team competitions will commence on February 11, starting with the initial men’s round-robin session. Italy, as the host country, has secured automatic qualification for all three events. Italy, led by the reigning Olympic mixed doubles champions Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, is a strong contender in that category.
In the men’s event, Sweden, the defending champion, along with traditional powerhouses like Britain and Canada, are anticipated to present tough competition. Meanwhile, in the women’s event, Britain claimed the top spot in Beijing four years ago, while Canada successfully defended their title at the 2025 World Curling Championships. Teams from Switzerland, Sweden, and South Korea are also seen as major challengers, with matches often being decided by slim margins.
China will be participating in both the men’s and women’s events. The skips, Xu Xiaoming and Wang Rui, are each aiming for their third Olympic appearance, showcasing their experience and leadership at the Games. Xu, aged 41, competed in Vancouver 2010 and helped China secure fourth place in Sochi 2014, the best result for the Chinese men’s curling team at the Winter Olympics. Wang, aged 30, is considered the spiritual leader of the Chinese team, having competed in the mixed doubles event at PyeongChang 2018 and playing a crucial role during Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
