The field officially is set for curling’s Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) in December.

On Saturday, a Pre-Olympic Qualification Event (Pre-OQE) in Aberdeen, Scotland wrapped, which determined the final three National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that will join five others in competing for a place at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

In the men’s round robin, the Philippines, Poland and New Zealand topped the table, earning places alongside the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and the Netherlands at the OQE. 

Meanwhile, Czechia, Germany and Australia emerged with the best records on the women’s side. They’ll meet the United States, Norway, Japan, Turkey and Estonia on the sheet at the OQE.

Two final Olympic spots are up for grabs in both disciplines.

The U.S. has participated in men's and women's curling at every Winter Olympics since it returned as a medal sport (after a 74-year hiatus) in 1998. Qualifying for 2026 would extend the consecutive Games streaks to seven apiece. 

Leading up to December’s OQE, the U.S. will hold Olympic Team Trials from Nov. 11-16 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The nation’s preeminent men's teams, including Team Shuster, Team Dropkin, Team Casper and Team Hebert, will throw stones to determine who represents the country. Team Peterson, Team Johnson, Team Strouse and Team Cousins will duke it out on the women’s side for the same distinction.

The United States has claimed two Olympic curling medals—a bronze at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics and gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics—with John Shuster, the skip of Team Shuster, a part of both podium efforts. An appearance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics would mark his sixth Games, the most all time for any curler.

In the mixed doubles discipline, the U.S. already has qualified for Milan Cortina 2026. Americans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin won the 2025 U.S. Olympic Mixed Doubles Curling Trials back in February and punched their tickets to the Olympics after they finished fifth at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. 

The duo known as “Cory and Korey” claimed gold at the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. The pair will make its Olympic debut in 2026.

The next important stop for curling on the road to Milan Cortina will be at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials from Nov. 11-16. Curling’s Olympic Qualification Event will take place Dec. 6-19 in Kelowna, Canada.