Ranking Calculations – Four Player
The World Curling Team Ranking System (WCTRS) points model will determine the points awarded for all events using a combination of size, strength of field and relative importance of large events if necessary.
The WCTRS is a combination of a reducing importance of prior year results and the best events from each season. The WCTRS ranking will allow a defined number of “maximum events” throughout the season until reaching the full eight.
The following are the dates and maximum events allowable at each date (Men’s and Women’s):
- 1 August 2025 to 15 September 2025 = one event allowed + 100% of 2024-2025
- 16 September 2025 to 6 October 2025 = two events allowed + 75% of 2024-2025
- 7 October 2025 to 20 October 2025 = three events allowed + 62.5% of 2024-2025
- 21 October 2025 to 3 November 2025 = four events allowed + 50% of 2024-2025
- 4 November 2025 to 1 December 2025 = five events allowed + 37.5% of 2024-2025
- 2 December 2025 to 29 December 2025 = six events allowed + 25% of 2024-2025
- 30 December 2025 to 26 January 2026 = seven events allowed + 12.5% of 2024-2025
- 27 January 2026 to end of season = Maximum eight events allowed + 0% of 2024-2025
Note that events played prior to each date of roll-out can still count towards your yearly total, however only the best number of events will count at each checkpoint.
Example: Team A plays three events prior to 6 October 2025 and earned 30, 30 & 10 points at their three events. Their point total will be 60 (30+30) up to 6 October, then 70 (30+30+10) on 7 October when the next allowable event slot is opened.
General Rules
Changes were made this season to simplify the Strength of Field Multiplier (SFM) process for all teams and provide a greater clarity in advance of all events. The World Curling Championships and Grand Slam of Curling series will have a defined SFM already outlined to start the season:
| Strength of Field — Set Point Events for 2025–2026 Season | |
|---|---|
| World Championships | 11.0 |
| GSOC — Players Championship | 10.0 |
| GSOC — Masters, National, Open | 10.0 |
| GSOC — Tour Challenge & Champions Cup | 10.0 |
The Grand Slam of Curling must invite the top 14 teams on the WCTRS Ranking List (2 Sponsor Exemptions) to remain eligible for a set Strength of Field value of 10.0
If less than 14 teams are invited from the WCTRS Ranking List, the event Strength of Field will be calculated based on the actual SFM value each team contributes to the event.
Tour Cashpiels and Playdowns / Special events will utilise a Strength of Field Multiplier and can reach a maximum SFM as follows:
| Strength of Field — Tour Cashspiels for 2025–2026 Season | |
|---|---|
| Tour Cashpiels – Maximum | 7.0 |
| Importance factor increase for Special Event / Playdowns | |
| National Championships, Europeans & Pan Continental | 1.75 to a maximum of 10.0 |
| National Olympic Trials & Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) | 1.90 to a maximum of 10.0 |
| Olympic Winter Games | 2.50 with no maximum |
All events in the Special Event / Playdowns category that have a field below eight teams will be filled up to eight teams with teams counting 0.00 and then SFM will be calculated following this.
Regulation regarding minimum strength of field requirement
PLEASE NOTE: For the 2025-2026 season, the Minimum Strength of Field Multiplier (SFM) for an event will be calculated by combining the SFM from 2024-2025 with the SFM from 2025-2026 and taking the average of the two numbers.
Example:
- Event A was played in October 2024 with an SFM of 6.0
- Event A is played in October 2025 with an SFM of 3.0
- Since the 2025-2026 SFM is lower than the previous season, the average of the two numbers will be taken to determine the event SFM
- Event A minimum SFM will be 4.5 for the 2025-2026 season
- New Events will play to the calculated SFM from the current season
- This regulation does not relate to Special Events / Playdowns
All SFM calculations are rounded either up or down to the nearest decimal place. For example, if an events Strength of Field Multiplier is calculated at 4.26, then it will be rounded up to a 4.3 Strength of Field Multiplier; 5.74 would be rounded down to a 5.7 Strength of Field Multiplier, etc.
Strength of Field Multiplier Calculation
Team total:
Team contributions are calculated based on the WCTRS ranking as of the Tuesday prior to the event. Each eligible team that competes is included and the contributions are as follows:
| WCTRS Ranking | SFM Contribution |
| 1 | 0.45 |
| 2 | 0.44 |
| 3 | 0.43 |
| 4 | 0.42 |
| 5 | 0.41 |
| 6 | 0.40 |
| 7 | 0.39 |
| 8 | 0.38 |
| 9 | 0.37 |
| 10 | 0.36 |
| 11 | 0.35 |
| 12 | 0.34 |
| 13 | 0.33 |
| 14 | 0.32 |
| 15 | 0.31 |
| 16 | 0.30 |
| 17 | 0.29 |
| 18 | 0.28 |
| 19 | 0.27 |
| 20 | 0.26 |
| 21-30 | 0.25 |
| 31-50 | 0.20 |
| 51-75 | 0.15 |
| 76-100 | 0.10 |
| 101-200 | 0.05 |
| 200+ | 0.02 |
*Teams ranked 200+ who have 0.00 WCTRS points will only add 0.010 to an events Strength of Field.
Teams scale
The teams contribution total is then scaled to normalise to a 24 team event. The formula is as follows:
24 / N where N equals the total number of teams playing in the event.
Teams factor
For Tour Cashspiel events, the minimum number of teams for CTRS inclusion is eight. The formula to factor this in will be determine as follows:
1 + (n – 16) x 0.03125 where n equals the total number of teams playing in the event.
Purse factor
There will be no purse factor calculation for 2025–2025 season.
Importance factor
National Championships will have an importance factor bump of 75%. Total amount will be multiplied by 1.75
Also note that single knockout formats will receive a 25% reduction of total SFM before adjusting for base points.
Base points multiplier
Once SFM is determined (either through calculation or pre-season set total) teams will earn points based on their final ranking as follows:
| Placing | Base Point Value |
| 1st | 7.50 |
| 2nd | 5.50 |
| 3rd–4th | 4.25 * |
| 5th–8th | 3.00 |
*If a bronze medal game is played to determine third place and the field is ten teams or more then the bronze medallist will receive 4.50 x SFM and the fourth place will receive 4.00 x SFM.
WCTRS playoff points are available to the top half of the field (rounding down) to a maximum of 8 teams. Events with 16+ teams will therefore generate 8 teams with playoff points and events with 12-13 teams can generate playoff points to the top 6, and etc.
Every event with a minimum of eight teams is entitled to award play-off points to the top four finishing teams based on final rankings regardless of the events play-off format.
In a nine team or less field with four play-off positions, the SFM values are as follows: 1st (7.50), 2nd (5.50), 3rd (4.25), 4th (3). Should an event have two semi-finalists, the SFM values would be 3.625 = (4.25+3)/2
For events offering more qualifiers than allowed, the SFM values for the last qualifying position will be split. Four qualifiers for three allowable spots = SFM value * (3/4).
If a team qualifies for the play-offs with a losing record, they will only receive full value for their placing in the event if they win their first play-off game. If the team fails to win their first play-off game, they will receive a 50% reduction to the point value for the event.
Ex) Team A qualifies for the play-offs with a 2-3 record and loses the Quarter-Final game. Their point allocation for the event will be SFM x 1.5 instead of the usual 3.0 for a Quarter-Final placing.
Points-per-win is calculated as 0.375 x SFM x number of team wins for teams that do not make the playoffs.
Challenges
Challenges for registered teams or point allocations must be made within seven days of the event and submitted to the following email address:
Rob Gordon, Athlete Support Officer: [email protected]
