26 February 2026
Ostrava, Czech Republic to host Le Gruyere AOP European Curling Championships 2026
Ostrava, Czech Republic has been confirmed as the host city of the Le Gruyere AOP European Curling Championships 2026. The event will be held between 27 October – 1 November 2026 at the RT Torax Arena.
This will be the first edition of the event under the new World Curling competition structure for the 2026–2030 Olympic cycle.
The standalone event will feature teams from the top ten women’s European Member Associations plus Czechia as hosts, and the top ten men’s European Member Associations, all from the previous season’s World Championships. These teams will be separated into two pools for the round robin. A full explanation of the new competition structure can be found here.
Originally opened in 1977, The RT Torax Arena is a multifunctional sports and event venue located in the Poruba district of Ostrava. It is primarily an ice hockey arena and serves as the home stadium for the local team HC RT Torax Poruba.
The facility has two ice rinks and a capacity of around 3,000 spectators.
Eeva Roethlisberger, Head of Competitions at World Curling, said, “We are looking forward to bringing the Le Gruyere AOP European Curling Championships 2026 to Ostrava, Czech Republic later this year.
“This marks the first time a World Curling championship event will be hosted in Ostrava, and we are proud to partner with a city that has shown such strong commitment to our sport.”
Lenka Hronova, Local Organising Committee Competition Director, said, “We are truly excited that the Le Gruyere AOP European Curling Championships will be held in the Czech Republic for the very first time, and specifically in the city of Ostrava.
“Last year, a brand-new curling arena was opened there, marking the beginning of a growing curling community in the region. We strongly believe that the successful delivery of the European Championships — bringing together athletes, fans and visitors from across Europe and around the world to watch the very best of European curling — will play a key role in establishing Ostrava as a new curling city and in raising awareness of curling throughout the Czech Republic.”
Karolina Frederiksen, Czech Curling Association President, said, “We greatly appreciate the support of the City of Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region and look forward to being in Ostrava, a city famous for its hospitality and strong passion for sport.”
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