The Single Biggest Curling Event in the World

On Saturday 15 November 2025, thousands of curlers from across Scotland will take to the ice for what is proudly billed as The Single Biggest Curling Match in the World, the Ambassador Cruise Line Indoor Grand Match.

From Inverness to Dumfries, Aberdeen to Kelso, the nation will come alive in a celebration of camaraderie, rivalry and tradition as Scotland’s North and South face off in one monumental nationwide contest.

The Indoor Grand Match may now be played under a roof, but its heart still beats on the frozen lochs where the game was born.

The event traces its lineage back to the legendary outdoor Grand Matches of the 19th and 20th centuries, when thousands of curlers would gather on Loch Leven, Carsebreck and the Lake of Menteith whenever the ice was thick enough to bear the stones.

Those grand spectacles, hundreds of sheets marked out on open water, with teams from across the nation remain among the most iconic moments in the history of Scottish sport.

With winters now too mild for those great gatherings, Scottish Curling introduced the Indoor Grand Match in 2000 to preserve the spirit of the old rivalry, whatever the weather.

The first edition saw more than 2,500 curlers competing simultaneously across the country, and the tradition has continued roughly every five years since.

The format remains as simple as it is timeless.

A line between the River Forth and River Clyde divides Scotland into two, North and South and every curler belongs to one side.

Each match contributes to the national total, and when the final stones are thrown, one half of Scotland will claim victory and the coveted Grand Match Trophy.

This year’s event will see play unfold across twelve rinks: Aberdeen, Forfar, Inverness, Dumfries, Greenacres, Border Ice Rink (Kelso), Lockerbie, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire (Hamilton), Kinross, Perth, and the Waterfront in Greenock.

Each venue will host a mix of local and travelling teams, all united in one shared passion.

For many, it’s a chance to reconnect with old friends, test their skill, and play their part in a moment of national pride.

Scottish Curling CEO Vincent Bryson said the event is unlike anything else in the sporting world.

“The Indoor Grand Match is a truly unique occasion.

“No other sport in the world can bring together this many people, in this many places, all competing as one,” he said.

“It embodies everything that makes curling special, tradition, teamwork, friendship and pride.

“It’s an incredible reminder of how important curling is to Scotland.”

The event is expected to deliver a welcome boost to local rinks and communities, with clubs preparing for a surge of visitors and supporters.

But beyond the economic benefits, the Indoor Grand Match carries something deeper, a reaffirmation of curling’s place in Scotland’s social fabric.

For centuries, curling has been more than a game.

It has been a gathering, a shared ritual, and a thread connecting generations.

The Indoor Grand Match keeps that legacy alive, ensuring the next wave of curlers can experience the same thrill, sportsmanship and belonging that have defined the sport since its earliest days.

As the first stones are thrown and scoreboards light up on 15 November, Scotland will once again come together in the truest spirit of the game, with laughter, rivalry, and pride echoing from the Highlands to the Borders.

Because when it comes to curling, nowhere in the world does it quite like Scotland.