What Is 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship was scheduled for October 6–10, 2020, in Aberdeen, Scotland, but was canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. It would have featured 40 teams competing in a mixed-gender, four-player format with two men and two women per team.

Key Facts

The 2020 championship was officially canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
It was scheduled to take place from October 6–10, 2020
Host city was Aberdeen, Scotland, at the Curl Aberdeen facility
40 national teams were expected to participate
The event is organized annually by the World Curling Federation

Overview

The 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship was an international curling competition intended to bring together national teams in a mixed-gender format. Organized by the World Curling Federation (WCF), the event was set for October 6–10, 2020, in Aberdeen, Scotland, marking the eighth edition of the championship since its inception in 2012.

Despite extensive planning and qualification processes, the tournament was officially canceled in July 2020 due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. This cancellation followed similar decisions across many international sports events during that year.

40 national teams had qualified or were expected to compete in the round-robin preliminary stage before advancing to playoffs.
The event was scheduled to be held at Curl Aberdeen, a modern facility with four sheets of ice dedicated to high-level competition.
Scotland was set to host the championship for the second time, having previously hosted in 2016 in Dumfries.
Each team consisted of two men and two women, alternating shots without a fixed throwing order, distinguishing it from traditional team formats.
The World Mixed Curling Championship began in 2012, with Switzerland winning the 2019 title in Howwood, Scotland.

How It Works

The World Mixed Curling Championship follows a unique structure designed to promote gender equality and strategic flexibility. Unlike traditional curling events, this format emphasizes inclusivity and dynamic gameplay through its rules and team composition.

Mixed Format: Each team includes two male and two female players, with no set throwing order, allowing for flexible strategy and inclusive participation.
Shot Rotation: Players alternate throwing stones in each end, meaning the lead, second, third, and fourth positions are not fixed by gender or role.
Game Duration: Matches consist of eight ends instead of the traditional ten, shortening game time and increasing pace compared to standard curling.
Qualification System: Teams qualify through regional events or WCF rankings, with 40 slots allocated based on geographic zones and performance history.
Scoring Format: The championship uses standard curling scoring, with the team scoring the most points over eight ends winning the match.
Tournament Structure: Teams compete in a round-robin group stage, followed by knockout rounds to determine the gold, silver, and bronze medalists.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship compares to other major curling events in structure and format.

Event	Year Held	Team Format	Number of Teams	Host City
2020 World Mixed Curling Championship	Canceled (planned: 2020)	2 men, 2 women	40	Aberdeen, Scotland
2019 World Mixed Curling Championship	2019	2 men, 2 women	32	Howwood, Scotland
2020 World Men’s Curling Championship	Postponed to 2021	All-male teams	13	Ottawa, Canada (rescheduled)
2020 World Women’s Curling Championship	Canceled	All-female teams	14	Prince George, Canada
2022 Winter Olympics – Mixed Doubles	2022	1 man, 1 woman	10	Beijing, China

The table highlights key differences in team composition, participation scale, and scheduling challenges during the pandemic. While the mixed doubles Olympic event features fewer teams and a smaller format, the World Mixed Curling Championship allows broader global representation with 40 teams, emphasizing accessibility and development across nations.

Why It Matters

The cancellation of the 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship had ripple effects across the international curling community, affecting athlete preparation, national federation planning, and global sports scheduling.

The event promotes gender equity by requiring equal male and female participation, setting a standard for inclusivity in winter sports.
For emerging curling nations, the championship provides a high-level competitive platform to gain experience and WCF ranking points.
The mixed format encourages strategic innovation, as teams must adapt to rotating shot order and diverse playing styles.
Host cities like Aberdeen benefit economically from tourism and infrastructure investment associated with international events.
The cancellation underscored the vulnerability of winter sports to global health crises, prompting the WCF to revise future contingency planning.
Despite the cancellation, the 2020 event kept the sport in public discourse, maintaining media visibility and fan engagement during a challenging year.

Ultimately, the 2020 World Mixed Curling Championship, though not held, remains a significant marker in curling history for its planned scale and the broader implications of pandemic-related disruptions on international sports.