Get ready for an action-packed Friday at the 2026 Crown Royal Players' Championship! The stakes are high as we head into the final draws of the pool play stage. This prestigious curling event, part of the Grand Slam series, will see only six teams from each division advance to the playoffs. So, let's dive into the day's schedule and key matchups!
Live Streaming and Broadcast Details:
You can catch all the thrilling moments live on watch.rockchannel.com. For our Canadian viewers, Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ will bring you the action starting with Draw 9 at 1 p.m. ET / Noon CT. Stay tuned for the latest results throughout the day!
Quick Links for Your Convenience:
- Draw Schedule & Results
- Standings
- Broadcast Information
Must-See Matches:
One of the most anticipated clashes is between Canada's Team Rachel Homan and Sweden's Team Anna Hasselborg. These two powerhouses will face off again in Draw 13 (1 p.m. ET / noon CT), and it's sure to be a thrilling encounter. Homan, with a record of 1-0-0-2 and three points, needs a win to stay in the running. Meanwhile, Hasselborg (1-1-1-1, six points) has experienced a mix of results this week but a regulation win could be a game-changer, especially as her team trails Team Isabella Wranå in the race to represent Sweden at the World Women's Curling Championship.
Team Matt Dunstone, from Winnipeg, also has a busy day ahead. They'll take on Italy's Team Joël Retornaz at noon and then Scotland's Team Ross Whyte in the evening. It's a crucial day for Dunstone's team, currently sitting at 0-2-0-1 with four points.
Don't forget, Draw 15 is already sold out, so if you're lucky enough to have a ticket, you're in for a treat!
Who's In, Who's Out:
The playoff picture is a bit of a puzzle right now, especially on the women's side, where no team has qualified yet. Team Ikue Kitazawa and Team Momoha Tabata are the only ones who have been eliminated. On the men's side, three teams have already secured their spots. Let's take a look at how the divisions stand:
Men's Division:
- Team Kyle Waddell (3-2-0-0, 13 points): The Scottish squad is undefeated and has secured a bye to the semifinals with a thrilling 7-6 shootout win against Whyte in Draw 12.
- Team Xu Xiaoming (3-1-0-1, 11 points): Xu has qualified for the playoffs in a Grand Slam for the first time after defeating Edin 8-7 in Draw 12.
- Team Yannick Schwaller (3-0-1-0, 10 points): Schwaller's team is in, as a maximum of six teams can reach 10 or more points.
The race for the final three spots is intense, with Team Joël Retornaz (2-1-1-0, nine points), Team Ross Whyte (2-0-2-0, eight points), Team Bruce Mouat (2-1-0-1, eight points), Team Matt Dunstone (0-2-0-1, four points), and Team John Shuster (1-0-0-2, three points) all in the mix.
Eliminated: Team Daniel Casper, Team Mike McEwen, Team Brad Jacobs, and Team Niklas Edin.
Women's Division:
The competition is fierce, with almost every team still in the running for one of the six playoff spots. Here's a breakdown:
- Team Eun-ji Gim (3-0-0-1, nine points)
- Team Tabitha Peterson (2-1-1-0, nine points)
- Team Silvana Tirinzoni (2-1-0-0, eight points)
- Team Satsuki Fujisawa (2-1-0-2, eight points)
- Team Anna Hasselborg (1-1-1-1, six points)
- Team Kerri Einarson (2-0-0-2, six points)
- Team Sayaka Yoshimura (2-0-0-2, six points)
- Team Xenia Schwaller (1-0-2-1, five points)
- Team Isabella Wranå (1-1-0-2, five points)
- Team Rachel Homan (1-0-0-2, three points)
Eliminated: Team Ikue Kitazawa and Team Momoha Tabata
Friday's Schedule and Results:
Draw 12: 9:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. CT
- Xu 8, Edin 7: Watch Replay (Cantonese commentary) | Linescore
- Waddell 7, Whyte 6 (shootout): Watch Replay | Linescore
- Einarson 6, Kitazawa 3: Watch Replay | Linescore
- Fujisawa 5, Peterson 4 (shootout): Watch Replay | Linescore
Draw 13: 1 p.m. ET / Noon CT
- Tirinzoni vs. Yoshimura: Watch Live | Linescore
- Homan vs. Hasselborg: Watch Live | Linescore
- Casper vs. Shuster: Watch Live | Linescore
- Dunstone vs. Retornaz: Watch Live | Linescore
Draw 14: 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT
- Gim vs. Tabata: Watch Live | Linescore
- X. Schwaller vs. Wranå: Watch Live | Linescore
- Mouat vs. Y. Schwaller: Watch Live | Linescore
- Jacobs vs. McEwen: Watch Live | Linescore
Draw 15: 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT
- Dunstone vs. Whyte: Watch Live | Linescore
- Shuster vs. Edin: Watch Live | Linescore
- Homan vs. Peterson: Watch Live | Linescore
- Tirinzoni vs. Einarson: Watch Live | Linescore
About the Event:
The Crown Royal Players' Championship is the fifth and final Grand Slam of Curling event of the season. It brings together 12 of the top men's teams and 12 of the top women's teams from around the globe. Both divisions are divided into two pools of six for round-robin play. The top six teams overall will advance to the playoffs, with the top two teams receiving byes to the semifinals. If needed, a tiebreaker round will be played on Saturday.
In case of a tie after eight ends during the round-robin stage, a draw-to-the-button shootout will decide the winner. Teams earn three points for a regulation win, two points for a shootout win, and one point for a shootout loss. Extra ends will be played instead of shootouts during the tiebreakers and playoffs. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with both finals taking place on Sunday.
So, who do you think will make it to the playoffs? And will we see any upsets along the way? Let's discuss in the comments!
