In a major development for the sport, Scottish Curling has confirmed that from now on, the winners of the Scottish Curling Championships will, in principle, represent Scotland at the European Curling Championships.
The move, made possible through collaboration between Scottish Curling and British Curling, restores the national championship’s status as the defining contest in Scottish curling, giving teams the chance to earn the right to wear the national crest on their backs and represent their country on the European stage.
“This is about adding clarity, excitement and reward back to our national championships,” said Vincent Bryson, Chief Executive of Scottish Curling.
“We want every team to know that when they step onto the ice at the Scottish Championships, they’re not just playing for a title, they’re playing for the chance to represent Scotland.”
The Scottish Championships have long been the pinnacle of the domestic curling calendar, producing iconic champions who have gone on to compete at the very highest levels of the sport.
This announcement cements the event’s significance and ensures that success at the national level will once again carry international weight.
One exception applies for the 2026/27 season, due to a clash with Olympic and Grand Slam schedules.
Olympic representatives will be unable to compete in the Scottish Championships that year.
To ensure fairness, there will be a play-off between the Olympic sides and the Hardie Engineering 2026 Scottish Curling Championship winners, with the victor representing Scotland at the European Championships.
The play-off will only be required if both teams retain at least three players from their original line-ups, and further details on the format, venue and schedule will be announced in due course.
A second exception will continue to apply in the season immediately before each Winter Olympics, when the team representing Scotland at the Europeans will be chosen by the performance selection committee, as part of Olympic preparation.
British Curling Performance Director Dave Leith welcomed the new framework, saying:
“We are delighted to support the domestic championship in Scotland with this reward for the champions.
“We are looking forward to watching Scotland’s best curlers, many of whom are part of British Curling’s elite pathway, fight it out for the chance to represent Scotland.”
The Hardie Engineering Scottish Curling Championships, to be held at Dumfries Ice Bowl from 24 to 28 February 2026, are now expected to be among the most hotly contested in years, with a place at the European Championships at stake.
Tickets will be available soon via the Dumfries Ice Bowl Curling Association, with full details announced shortly on Scottish Curling’s website and social channels.
Want to take your shot at national glory?
The deadline for entries has been extended to Friday November 14th, so enter now via the website.
