2026 Olympic Mixed Doubles Curling: Rules, Roster & Medal Predictions

Carter
4 hours ago
3 min read

While the Men’s and Women’s team events are marathons, Mixed Doubles is a sprint. Starting February 4th (two days before the Opening Ceremony), this chaotic, high-scoring version of curling will crown the first champions of the 2026 Games.

If you are used to traditional 4-person curling, Mixed Doubles looks like a different sport. Here is everything you need to know about the rules, the 10 teams competing in Cortina, and who is likely to leave with Gold.

⚡ The Rules: How Mixed Doubles is Different

Mixed Doubles was introduced in 2018 to add speed and aggression to the Olympics. If you find traditional curling too slow, this is the format for you.

1. The Teams

Instead of four players, there are two: one male and one female. There is no "skip" standing in the house the whole time; both players must sweep and throw.

2. Fewer Stones, Fewer Ends

8 Ends (instead of 10).
5 Stones per team (instead of 8).
Thinking Time: Teams only get 22 minutes of strategy time per game, forcing split-second decisions.

3. The "Positioned Stones" (The Chaos Factor)

The game does not start with an empty sheet. Before every end, two stones are pre-placed:

Stone A: Placed in the back of the 4-foot circle (scoring position).
Stone B: Placed as a center guard.
Note: The team with the "Hammer" (last shot advantage) takes the guard position, while the disadvantage team starts with a rock already scoring.

4. The Power Play

Once per game, a team can call a "Power Play." This moves the pre-placed stones from the center to the side (the wing). This opens up the center of the ice, usually leading to massive scores (3, 4, or even 5 points in one end).

🇮🇹 The Favorites & Key Storylines

Ten nations qualified for the 2026 Games. Here are the teams you need to watch.

1. The Home Favorites: Italy

Roster: Stefania Constantini & Amos Mosaner
The Story: In 2022, they shocked the world by winning Gold with a perfect undefeated record. Now, they are defending that title on home ice in Cortina. Constantini is a local hero, and the crowd noise for them will be deafening. They remain the team to beat.

2. The American Hope: Team USA

Roster: Cory Thiesse & Korey Dropkin ("Cory & Korey")
The Story: After years of near-misses, the duo of Thiesse and Dropkin finally won the US Trials together. They are World Champions (2023) and arguably the most technically sound duo in the field. Unlike some teams that are thrown together, they have played together for years specifically for this moment.

3. The Married Couple: Canada

Roster: Jocelyn Peterman & Brett Gallant
The Story: Canada missed the playoffs entirely in 2022, a national disaster for the curling-crazed country. Peterman and Gallant are not just teammates; they are husband and wife. Their on-ice chemistry is unmatched, but the pressure to return Canada to the podium is immense.

4. The Double Threat: Great Britain

Roster: Jennifer Dodds & Bruce Mouat
The Story: Bruce Mouat is attempting one of the hardest feats in the sport: winning medals in both Mixed Doubles and the Men’s team event. If he gets tired, their performance will suffer.

🏁 Final Thoughts: The Perfect Appetizer

The Mixed Doubles tournament is the perfect way to start the 2026 Winter Olympics. It delivers high-scoring drama, massive momentum swings, and the very first medals of the Games—all before the Opening Ceremony even concludes.

Whether you are rooting for the home-team heroes from Italy or the precision of Team USA, the action at the Cortina Olympic Stadium promises to be electric. The first stone drops on February 4th, and if history is any indication, we won’t know the winner until the final rock of the final end.

Ready for more? Once the Mixed Doubles medals are hung, the traditional four-person teams take the ice. Make sure to check out our deep dives into the Men’s Tournament Preview and the Women’s Tournament Preview to see who will dominate the rest of the Games.