Canada’s best young curlers will gather in Sudbury, Ont., to play for a national championship, it was announced today by Curling Canada.
The 2026 New Holland Canadian Under-20 Curling Championships will take place March 28-April 5 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex, and will crown Canada’s national women’s and men’s U-20 team champions.
“As a former participant in the New Holland Canadian Under-20 Championships, I can tell you how impactful it was for me as an athlete in my development, and today it is an important element of our High Performance pathway,” said Nolan Thiessen, Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. “Sudbury put in a wonderful bid, and we know from past experience that the local curling community will step forward and make these championships a success on and off the ice.”
A total of 36 teams (18 in each gender) are expected to compete at the 2026 New Holland Canadian U-20 Championships.
“New Holland takes pride in our 10 years of playing a role in developing Canada’s curlers, and our network of dealers across the country is excited to continue our support of the New Holland Canadian Under-20 Championships,” said Aimee Culbert, New Holland, Brand Strategy Manager. “We’re confident that Sudbury will put on a superb event that will make the city and its curling community proud.”
The Canadian Under-20 Men’s Championship has been contested annually since its inception in 1950 in Quebec City. The first Canadian Junior Under-20 Championship was played in 1971 at Vancouver. The events were combined in 1987 at Prince Albert, Sask.
Teams from Alberta have won a leading 18 junior men’s titles while Saskatchewan is second with 14. In women’s, Alberta and Saskatchewan boast a leading 11 victories, followed by Manitoba with 10.
Sudbury is no stranger to hosting major curling events; most recently, the 2023 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship, 2023 U SPORTS Canadian University Championships and the 2023 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association Canadian College Championships were staged at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Sudbury has also hosted the Montana’s Brier in 1983 and 1953 as well as the 2001 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Prior to the 2026 New Holland Under-20 Championships, the Canadian qualifying event for the World Under-21 Mixed Doubles Championship will take place March 24-27 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
Entries will come out of qualifying events — one each in Eastern and Western Canada — in the fall of 2025. The winning team of the national qualifying event will represent Canada at the 2026 World Mixed Doubles Championship (dates, location to be announced by World Curling).
“We are excited to welcome Curling Canada back to Greater Sudbury in 2026 for the New Holland Canadian Under-20 Championships and the Under-21 Mixed Doubles qualifying event,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre. “Our community has proudly hosted several Curling Canada events in the past, and we are honoured to continue this partnership. Curling events are a major draw for northern fans, and we look forward to welcoming these talented athletes in 2026.”
“The Host Committee was thrilled to see the Sudbury community come together in 2023 to host the U SPORTS/CCAA Championships and the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship, and we can’t wait to do it again in 2026 as we welcome the U-21 Mixed Doubles world qualifying event and the New Holland Canadian Under-20 Curling Championships,” added Kelly Irvine, host committee co-chair. “Sudbury has a thriving curling community, and our love for the sport truly shines through. These championships are about more than just competition — they are about supporting the future stars of our sport and creating lasting memories for them and their families. We want every athlete, coach, and fan to enjoy not only the excitement on the ice but also the warmth and hospitality of our city. Sudbury is all about community and family, and when this event is over, we hope everyone leaves feeling like they’ve found a home here—one they’ll want to return to.”
The winners of the 2026 New Holland Canadian U-20 Championships will have the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2027 World Junior Championships (dates, location, TBA by World Curling).
“We’re very excited to be welcoming these major NextGen events to Northern Ontario, and we know these young athletes will put on a wonderful show in Sudbury,” said Laura Forget, Executive Director of the Northern Ontario Curling Association. “There is a passionate and dedicated volunteer base in Sudbury that will be pulling out all the stops to make everyone feel welcome.”
-30-
For further information:
Al Cameron
Director, Communication & Media Relations
Curling Canada
(403) 463-5500
acameron@curling.ca
Kyle Jahns
Manager, Communication and Media Relations
Curling Canada
Tel: 204-803-8221
kyle.jahns@curling.ca