The 2026 European Curling Championships take place from October 27 to November 1, 2026, at the RT Torax Arena in Ostrava-Poruba. Twelve men’s and twelve women’s teams compete in the tournament, marking the first time the Czech Republic has hosted a European curling championship for men and women and the first World Curling Federation event held in Ostrava.
Tournament Format Changes and Shorter Matches
The 2026 tournament arrives following a structural overhaul by the World Curling Federation, which eliminated European divisions B and C to feature exclusively the elite tier in Ostrava. In June, organizers expanded the starting fields from ten to twelve teams per category. Matches feature eight ends instead of the previous standard of ten, designed to produce shorter and faster contests for spectators.
Czech National Team Lineups and Group Assignments
The Czech Republic is represented in both divisions by its reigning national champions. The men’s squad from Dukla Zbraslav, skipped by Lukáš Klíma, qualified based on European rankings after placing eighth at the 2026 Cortina Olympics. The women’s team from Liboc 3 enters with a revised summer roster under coaches Karel Kubeška and Anna Kubešková, securing an automatic berth as the host nation.
🥌 2026 European #Curling Championships in #CzechRepublic 🇨🇿 #Ostrava Day 4 @WorldCurling #ECC2026 📺 Live stream (Paid) and 🎫 Tickets link available https://t.co/j9ltllOg0h
Schedule and Ticket Information
Competition begins on the evening of October 27 with the opening ceremony and the first round of women’s matches, followed by the round-robin group stage through Friday. Semifinals take place on Saturday, October 31, and medal matches follow on Sunday, November 1. Tickets are available online through the Czech Curling Association sales portal and at the venue, where general seating is unreserved outside the VIP zone.
Participating Teams and Groups
The twelve men’s teams competing in Ostrava are Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The men are divided into two six-team groups, with the Czech Republic placed in group B alongside Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, while group A consists of Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Scotland. The twelve women’s teams are the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Turkey, Sweden, and Switzerland. The Czech women compete in group A with Germany, Italy, Latvia, Norway, and Switzerland, while group B features Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Scotland, Sweden, and Turkey.