Three Nova Scotia communities set to host curling qualifiers for 2026 Olympics

Curling Canada has announced that all three major qualifying events to determine Canada’s representatives at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Nova Scotia. One town is preparing to play host for the first time.

In an announcement made on Wednesday, the official governing body for curling in Canada announced that the events will take place in Halifax, Liverpool, and Wolfville.

Halifax and Liverpool have previously welcomed curlers from around the country, but the upcoming qualification cycle marks the first time that Curling Canada will stage an event in the town of Wolfville.

“Nova Scotia is home to a curling community and a provincial government that made it extremely apparent these events are important to them, and I know the province will do an outstanding job to make these events memorable for everyone,” said Danny Lamoureux, interim chief executive officer of Curling Canada.

The Canadian Curling Trials, which will decide both the men’s and women’s Olympic teams, will be played between Nov. 22-30, 2025, at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

Halifax previously hosted the Trials in 2005, when both winners went on to reach the podium at the 2006 Olympics. Halifax Mayor Mike Savage expressed his excitement on Wednesday.

“Our city will be a warm, welcoming host for the Canadian Curling Trials and we look forward to cheering on teams from across the country,” he said in a press release.

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

🥌Liverpool, N.S. will host the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials

🥌Wolfville, N.S. will host the Canadian Pre-Trials

🥌Halifax will host the Canadian Curling Trials

Details in our story ➡️ https://t.co/MEufO8c4mj pic.twitter.com/hf0IKEiTxK

— Curling Canada (@CurlingCanada) November 22, 2023

Prior to the decisive qualifiers in Halifax, the Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials will kick off on Dec. 30, 2024, at the Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool and run until Jan. 4, 2025. This event acts as the first of three in the qualification process.

Hosting a Curling Canada Olympic qualifying event won’t be a distant memory for many Liverpool residents, as the town played host to the pre-trials in 2021.

“We look forward once again to experiencing high-caliber curling and extending a warm hospitable welcome to everyone involved,” said Darlene Norman, mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality, where Liverpool is located.

Following the first round in Liverpool, winners will head to the Canadian Pre-Trials at Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville between Oct. 21-26, 2024. Wolfville’s mayor, Wendy Donovan, said the town is thrilled to welcome athletes “with the east coast hospitality we are known for in the Valley.”

“With an estimated economic impact of approximately $2 million, the Pre-Trials will leave a lasting legacy in our community and help to continue to build our major event hosting capacity,” she said. “I have no doubt that we, along with Acadia University, our passionate curling community, engaged business community, and tourism and accommodations providers will deliver a best yet Pre-Trials event.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston also shared his enthusiasm regarding the arrival of top curlers competing to make it to curling’s biggest stage during the 2026 games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

“Hosting three Olympic curling qualifiers in a single year is proof of our status as a leading destination for major sporting events and showcases our dedicated curling fans,” he said in the Wednesday release from Curling Canada.

The Milan Olympics will take place Feb. 6-22, 2026.