Capsule look at 13 countries competing in 2026 women’s world curling championship

CALGARY — A capsule look at the 13 teams competing March 14-22 in the 2026 BKT World Women’s Curling Championship at Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre:

Canada (Einarson)

Kerri Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Karlee Burgess seek their first world title. Einarson, Sweeting and Birchard were bronze medallists in both 2022 and 2023.

Australia (Williams)

Ex-pat component high. Helen Williams is a Scot and third Sara Westman and lead Katherine Titheridge are Canadians. Second Kristen Tsourlenes is Australian.

China (Wang)

Rui Wang, last year’s bronze medallist, throws third stones and vice Yu Han fourth. Wang makes her seventh world championship appearance.

Denmark (Dupont)

Madeleine Dupont skips her country for the 17th time at the world championship. She was a silver medallist in 2007 when her team lost in the final to Canada’s Kelly Scott in Harbin, Japan.

Italy (Constantini)

Stefania Constantini won Olympic mixed doubles gold in 2022 in Beijing and bronze in February in Cortina, Italy, with Amos Mosaner.

Japan (Fujisawa)

Satsuki Fujisawa skipped Japan to an Olympic silver medal in 2022 and silver in the 2016 world championship in Swift Current, Sask.

South Korea (Kim)

Eunji Gin’s foursome placed fifth in February’s Olympic Games and was a world championship bronze medallist in 2024 in Sydney, N.S. Coached by Canada’s Guy Hemmings.

Norway (Bjoernstad)

Team will make its world championship debut. Torild Bjoernstad is a former world junior bronze medallist.

Scotland (Henderson)

Lead Hailey Duff won Olympic gold with Eve Muirhead in 2022. Fay Henderson was a world junior champion in 2023. Coached by Canadian Clancy Grandy.

Sweden (Wrana)

Isabella Wrana and her brother Rasmus are the reigning Olympic mixed doubles champions after claiming gold in Cortina. She skipped Sweden to a world junior title in 2017.

Switzerland (Schwaller)

Xenia Schwaller and teammates were world junior champions in 2024. Coached by Canada’s John Epping.

Turkey (Yildiz)

Dilsat Yildiz skipping her country a fifth time. Finished 11th in 2025.

United States (Strouse)

Coached by Canada’s Cathy Overton-Clapham, Delaney Strouse and company will make their world championship debuts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press