New Faces Dominate 2026 World Women's Curling Championship in Calgary
The global curling spotlight shifts to Calgary this weekend as the 2026 BKT World Women's Curling Championship, presented by Pharmasave, commences at the WinSport Event Centre. This year's tournament promises a dramatic departure from recent editions, with several legendary champions absent and a wave of fresh talent stepping onto the international stage.
A Championship Transformed by New Blood
The field for the 2026 championship is notably missing some of the sport's most dominant figures. Rachel Homan, the two-time defending world champion, will not be competing to secure a third consecutive title. Similarly absent is Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland, who claimed the world crown four times prior to Homan's reign. Perhaps most surprising is the absence of Sweden's Anna Hasselborg, the freshly minted Olympic gold medalist from the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.
Their absence has opened the door for approximately half a dozen new national squads to challenge for the global title. These teams are stepping into the shoes of the departed champions, representing nations like Canada, Switzerland, and Sweden with renewed vigor and unfamiliar lineups.
Canada's Veteran Skip Embraces the New Challenge
Leading the Canadian charge is skip Kerri Einarson, a seasoned veteran making her fourth appearance at the world championships. Despite the influx of new competitors, Einarson remains confident in her team's experience.
"Yeah... definitely some new teams that we haven't played in a long time or even on the world stage," Einarson acknowledged. "So a lot of first-timers there. We've played a lot of the teams—just maybe not as much as other teams we've seen in the past. And I think that our experience over the years will help us going into these worlds, and other countries will maybe feel some of the pressure, as well."
Einarson's Manitoba-based rink, featuring vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Karlee Burgess, alternate Krysten Karwacki, and coaches Reid Carruthers and Viktor Kjell, carries a history of near misses. They have secured bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 world championships and finished just off the podium in Calgary in 2021.
Maintaining Focus Amidst Change
Despite the altered competitive landscape and the expectations that come with being a perennial contender, Einarson insists her team feels no added pressure. She emphasizes a consistent, inward-focused strategy.
"No... I don't think so," Einarson stated regarding any change in approach. "I think we're just going to worry about ourselves and what we do and what works for us. And... you know... we had a really great Scotties (Tournament of Hearts), and after those last two games that we played at the Scotties—I know it feels like forever ago now—definitely just keep that going into worlds. We brought the best version of our team and ourselves, and I think we can take that into worlds and it'll give us a good chance."
The championship action begins on Saturday, March 14, 2026, with Einarson's Canadian squad facing off against Sweden's new skip, Isabella Wranå, in a 4 p.m. ET matchup broadcast on TSN. The ten-day event at the Markin McPhail Centre within Winsport represents not just a battle for the 2026 title, but a potential changing of the guard in international women's curling.
