One Win Away: Team Casper and USA Curling Face Critical Wednesday at Olympic Qualification Event

Carter
6 days ago
3 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

USA Men's Curling Team Casper celebrates earning their spot in the Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The road to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina has come down to this. Team USA, skipped by Danny Casper, has officially secured a playoff spot at the 2025 Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, British Columbia.

After a stellar 5-1 start to the round-robin, the Americans are now poised for a high-stakes showdown that could punch their ticket to Italy.

Here is everything you need to know about Team USA’s schedule, their opponent, and how to watch the decisive games this Wednesday.

The Stakes: Win and You’re In

The Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) follows a high-pressure format designed to award the final two berths for the 2026 Winter Games. By locking up a top-two seed in the round-robin, Team Casper has earned the most direct path to qualification.

On Wednesday night (Dec. 10), the USA will face the top-seeded team (currently undefeated China) in Qualification Game 1.

If USA wins: They officially qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
If USA loses: They get a second chance on Thursday in Qualification Game 2, where they would face the winner of the 3rd placing team in the round robin for the final remaining Olympic spot.

Schedule: A Double-Header Wednesday

Wednesday, December 10, is the biggest day of the quadrennial for these athletes. Team Casper will hit the ice twice, first to wrap up pool play and then to play for the Olympic berth.

Round Robin Finale: USA vs. Netherlands
- Date: Dec 10 2025
- Time: 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET
- Significance: While a playoff spot is secured, this game serves as a final tune-up and could determine hammer advantage or final seeding nuances.
Qualification Game 1 (Playoff): USA (2nd) vs. China (1st)
- Date: Dec 10 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET
- Significance: Winner qualifies for the Olympics.

(Possible) Qualification Game 2 (Playoff): USA (2nd) vs. TBD (3rd)
- Date: Dec 11 2025
- Time: 7:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM ET
- Significance: Winner qualifies for the Olympics.

The Matchup: Team Casper vs. Team Xu

The United States is represented by Team Casper, a young, dynamic squad out of Minnesota that upset Olympic gold medalist John Shuster at the US Trials last month.

Skip: Danny Casper
Third: Luc Violette
Second: Ben Richardson
Lead: Aidan Oldenburg
Alternate: Rich Ruohonen

Their opponent in the playoff is China, skipped by veteran Xu Xiaoming. China has been the team to beat in Kelowna, sitting undefeated at 6-0. Notably, China handed Team Casper their only loss of the tournament so far—a tight 9-8 decision in Draw 2. Wednesday night offers Team USA a perfect opportunity for revenge with the highest possible stakes.

How to Watch USA Curling Olympic Qualifiers

Fans in the United States have two main ways to catch the action live from Kelowna.

Streaming: The event is being streamed globally on The Curling Channel (World Curling’s OTT platform).
Playoff Coverage: According to USA Curling, playoff games involving the United States are often available on Peacock. Check your local listings and the Peacock app for "Olympic Qualification Event" to confirm the specific stream for the 10:00 PM ET game.