World Curling
International sport governing body for the sport of curling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
World Curling, formerly the World Curling Federation (WCF) is the world governing body for curling accreditation, with offices in Perth, Scotland. It was formed out of the International Curling Federation (ICF), when the push for Olympic Winter Sport status was made. The name was changed in 1990 to the WCF and then to World Curling in 2024.[2]
Formation1966 (as International Curling Federation)
HeadquartersPerth, Scotland
Membership73 member associations
| |
| Formation | 1966 (as International Curling Federation) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sports federation |
| Headquarters | Perth, Scotland |
| Membership | 73 member associations |
Official language | English |
| Beau Welling | |
| Staff | 20[1] |
| Website | worldcurling.org |
The ICF was initially formed in 1966 as a committee of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club in Perth after the success of the Scotch Cup series of world championships held between Canada and Scotland.[3] At the outset, it comprised the associations of Scotland, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States. In the wake of its formation, it sanctioned the World Curling Championships. World Curling currently sanctions 15 international curling events (see below). World Curling is managed by eight Board Directors, one president, three vice-presidents (one from each World Curling regional zone - Americas, Europe, Pacific-Asia) and six Board Directors. The six Board Directors must all come from different member associations. All positions on the Board of Directors are elected by World Curling member associations. The Board of Directors are supported by and a permanent staff of 20 employees.
There are 74 member associations, with the most recent addition being Pakistan, Puerto Rico and the Philippines in 2023, and Monaco in 2024.[4][5]
In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, in March 2022 World Curling banned the Russian Curling Federation from competing.[6]
Goals
The World Curling mission statement reads: "To lead the worldwide curling community through the promotion and development of our sport, our culture and our values."[7]
The purpose and aims of World Curling are as follows:[8]
- To represent curling internationally and to facilitate growth of the sport throughout the world
- To promote co-operation and mutual understanding amongst Member Associations and to unite curlers throughout the world
- To Defend and Further the interests of world curling
- To conduct world curling competitions
- To formulate rules of the sport of curling for world competitions and all other competitions approved by World Curling
Member associations
Following is a list of member associations of World Curling:[4][9]
| Year | Name | Country | World Curling zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Afghanistan Curling Federation[10] |  Afghanistan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1991 | Andorra Curling Association |  Andorra |
Europe |
| 2025 | Argentinian Curling Association |  Argentina |
Americas |
| 1986 | Australian Curling Federation |  Australia |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1982 | Österreichischer Curling Verband[11] |  Austria |
Europe |
| 1997 | Belarusian Curling Association[12] |  Belarus |
Europe |
| 2005 | Belgian Curling Association[13] |  Belgium |
Europe |
| 2020 | Bolivian Curling Federation |  Bolivia |
Americas |
| 2022 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Curling Association |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Europe |
| 1998 | Brazilian Ice Sports Federation |  Brazil |
Americas |
| 2013 | Bulgarian Curling Federation[14] |  Bulgaria |
Europe |
| 1966 | Curling Canada |  Canada |
Americas |
| 2002 | Chinese Curling Association |  China |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1998 | Chinese Taipei Curling Federation[15] |  Chinese Taipei |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2004 | Croatian Curling Association[16] |  Croatia |
Europe |
| 1990 | Czech Curling Association[17] |  Czechia |
Europe |
| 1971 | Danish Curling Association[18] |  Denmark |
Europe |
| 2019 | Dominican Republic winter sports federation |  Dominican Republic |
Americas |
| 1971 | English Curling Association |  England |
Europe |
| 2003 | Estonian Curling Association[19] |  Estonia |
Europe |
| 1979 | Finnish Curling Association[20] |  Finland |
Europe |
| 1966 | French Ice Sports Federation |  France |
Europe |
| 2013 | Georgian Curling Federation |  Georgia |
Europe |
| 1967 | Deutscher Curling-Verband |  Germany |
Europe |
| 2003 | Hellenic Curling Association |  Greece |
Europe |
| 2016 | Guyana Curling Federation |  Guyana |
Americas |
| 2014 | Curling Sports Federation of Hong Kong China |  Hong Kong, China |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1989 | Hungarian Curling Federation[21] |  Hungary |
Europe |
| 1991 | Icelandic Sport Federation |  Iceland |
Europe |
| 2019 | Curling Federation of India |  India |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2003 | Irish Curling Association[22] |  Ireland |
Europe |
| 2013 | Israel Curling Federation |  Israel |
Europe |
| 1972 | Italian Ice Sports Federation |  Italy |
Europe |
| 2022 | Curling Jamaica |  Jamaica |
Americas |
| 1985 | Japan Curling Association[23] |  Japan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2003 | Kazakhstan Curling Association |  Kazakhstan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2021 | Kenya Curling Federation |  Kenya |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1994 | Korean Curling Association |  Korea |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2012 | Kosovo Curling Federation |  Kosovo |
Europe |
| 2019 | Kuwait Winter Games Club |  Kuwait |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2017 | Curling Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic[24] |  Kyrgyzstan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2001 | Latvian Curling Association[25] |  Latvia |
Europe |
| 1991 | Liechtenstein Curling Association |  Liechtenstein |
Europe |
| 2003 | Lithuanian Curling Association[26] |  Lithuania |
Europe |
| 1976 | Curling Luxembourg[27] |  Luxembourg |
Europe |
| 2024 | Monegasque Skating Federation[5] |  Monaco |
Europe |
| 2016 | Federacion Mexicana de Curling |  Mexico |
Americas |
| 2012 | Mongolian Curling Federation |  Mongolia |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1975 | Netherlands Curling Association[28] |  Netherlands |
Europe |
| 1991 | New Zealand Curling Association[29] |  New Zealand |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2018 | Nigeria Curling Federation[30] |  Nigeria |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1966 | Norwegian Curling Association[31] |  Norway |
Europe |
| 2023 | Pakistan Curling Federation |  Pakistan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2023 | Curling Pilipinas |  Philippines |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2022 | Polish Curling Clubs Federation[a] |  Poland |
Europe |
| 2017 | Winter Sports Federation of Portugal |  Portugal |
Europe |
| 2023 | Puerto Rico Curling Association |  Puerto Rico |
Americas |
| 2014 | Qatar Curling Federation |  Qatar |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2010 | Romanian Curling Federation[33] |  Romania |
Europe |
| 1992 | Russian Curling Federation[34] |  Russia |
Europe |
| 2017 | Kingdom Curling Association |  Saudi Arabia |
Pacific-Asia |
| 1966 | Royal Caledonian Curling Club |  Scotland |
Europe |
| 2005 | National Curling Association of Serbia[35] |  Serbia |
Europe |
| 2003 | Slovak Curling Association[36] |  Slovakia |
Europe |
| 2010 | Slovenian Curling Association[37] |  Slovenia |
Europe |
| 1999 | Spanish Ice Sports Federation |  Spain |
Europe |
| 1966 | Swedish Curling Association[38] |  Sweden |
Europe |
| 1966 | Swiss Curling Association[39] |  Switzerland |
Europe |
| 2022 | Thai Curling Association |  Thailand |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2009 | Turkish Ice Skating Federation |  Türkiye |
Europe |
| 2020 | Curling Federation of Turkmenistan |  Turkmenistan |
Pacific-Asia |
| 2013 | Ukrainian Curling Federation[40] |  Ukraine |
Europe |
| 1966 | United States Curling Association |  United States of America |
Americas |
| 1991 | US Virgin Islands Curling Association |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
Americas |
| 1982 | Welsh Curling Association[41] |  Wales |
Europe |
Former member associations
Executive board
The current executive board as of June 2024 is as follows:[46]
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President: Beau Welling (United States)
Vice Presidents:
- Kim Forge (Australia)
- Morten Soegaard (Norway)
Board of Directors:
- David Sik (Czech Republic)
- Helena Lingham (Sweden)
- Sergio Mitsuo Vilela (Brazil)
- Robin Niven (Scotland)
- Jill Officer (Canada)
Athlete Commission Chair: Tyler George (Canada)
Former presidents
Former presidents of the WCF and ICF are listed below:[47]
| President | Member association | Years in office |
|---|---|---|
| Presidents of the ICF | ||
| Major Allan Cameron | Scotland | 1966–1969 |
| Brigadier Colin A. Campbell | Canada | 1969–1979 |
| Sven A. Eklund | Sweden | 1979–1982 |
| G. Clifton Thompson | Canada | 1982–1985 |
| Philip Dawson | Scotland | 1985–1988 |
| Dr. Donald F. Barcome | United States | 1988–1990 |
| Presidents of the WCF | ||
| Günther Hummelt | Austria | 1990–2000 |
| Roy Sinclair | Scotland | 2000–2006 |
| Les Harrison | Canada | 2006–2010 |
| Kate Caithness | Scotland | 2010–2022 |
Competitions and championships
World Curling manages many events around the world.[48]
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| International championships | |
| Olympic Winter Games (OWG) | For ten men's, women's, and mixed doubles teams. |
| Paralympic Winter Games (PWG) | For ten mixed teams and eight mixed doubles teams. |
| Youth Olympic Games (YOG) | For twenty-four mixed teams and forty-eight mixed doubles teams. |
| World Men's Curling Championship (WMCC) | For thirteen men's teams. |
| World Women's Curling Championship (WWCC) | For thirteen women's teams. |
| World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (WMDCC) | For twenty mixed doubles teams. |
| World Wheelchair Curling Championship (WWhCC) | For twelve mixed teams. |
| World Junior Curling Championships (WJCC) | For ten junior men's and ten junior women's teams. |
| World Mixed Curling Championship (WMxCC) | Open entry: one team may enter from each Member Association. |
| World Senior Curling Championships (WSCC) | Open entry: one team from each gender may enter from each Member Association. The players must not be less than 50 years of age. |
| Qualification events | |
| Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) | For men's and women's teams from National Olympic Committees previously qualified for World Curling Championships but not already qualified for the Olympic Winter Games. |
| World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event (WMDQE) | For mixed doubles teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. |
| World Wheelchair-B Curling Championship (WWhBCC) | For mixed gender teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Wheelchair Curling Championship. |
| World Junior-B Curling Championships (WJBCC) | For junior men's and junior women's teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Junior Curling Championships. |
| Regional championships | |
| European Curling Championships (ECC) | For men's and women's teams from the European zone. |
| Defunct events | |
| Curling World Cup | For eight men's, women's, and mixed doubles teams, consisting of three legs and a Grand Final. |
| Pacific-Asia Junior Curling Championships (PJCC) | For junior men's and women's teams from the Pacific Zone; acts as qualification to the WJCC. Replaced by World Junior-B Curling Championships. |
| European Junior Curling Challenge (EJCC) | For junior men's and women's teams from the European zone that have not already qualified for WJCC. Replaced by World Junior-B Curling Championships. |
| Americas Challenge | For men's and women's teams from the defunct Americas zone, only if the second-ranked member association from the Americas zone is challenged. Replaced by Pan-Continental Curling Championship. |
| Pacific-Asia Curling Championships (PACC) | For men's and women's teams from the defunct Pacific-Asia zone. Replaced by the Pan-Continental Curling Championship. |
| World Qualification Event (WQE) | For eight men's and women's teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Curling Championships. |
| Pan Continental Curling Championships (PCCC) | For men's and women's teams from the Pan Continental Zone. Replaced by the World Curling Championships B and C Divisions. |