As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics enter the final stretch of the round-robin stage, the men’s curling landscape has solidified into a two-horse race for the top seed. Following the action on Tuesday, 17 February, and heading into today’s play, Canada and Switzerland have officially punched their tickets to the semi-finals.
Brad Jacobs and his Canadian rink secured their playoff berth with a commanding 9-5 victory over the reigning world champions, Team Bruce Mouat of Great Britain. The win improved Canada’s record to 6-1, highlighted by single steals in both the eighth and ninth ends to deflate the British side. Meanwhile, Switzerland remains the only undefeated team in the field at 7-0, maintaining a narrow lead over the Canadians for the first-place ranking.
Olympic Men’s Curling Standings
Standings as of Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
| Rank | Nation | Wins | Losses | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 7 | 0 | Qualified (Q) |
| 2 | Canada | 6 | 1 | Qualified (Q) |
| 3 | Norway | 4 | 3 | In Contention |
| 4 | Italy | 4 | 3 | In Contention |
| 5 | USA | 4 | 4 | In Contention |
| 6 | Great Britain | 3 | 4 | On Brink |
Key Developments in Cortina
- Canada’s Resilience: Despite a “tough day” on Saturday where both the men’s and women’s teams suffered losses, Brad Jacobs has rallied his squad with back-to-back wins over Sweden (8-6) and Great Britain (9-5).
- Controversy on the Ice: The tournament has not been without drama. Allegations of “cheating” surfaced during the Canada-Sweden match last Friday, leading to a heated exchange between players. However, the Canadian men have remained focused on the scoreboard to secure their playoff spot.
- The Battle for Third and Fourth: With Switzerland and Canada safe, a logjam has formed for the final two playoff spots. Host nation Italy and Norway sit at 4-3, while the United States remains alive at 4-4. Great Britain, the pre-tournament favourites, now face a must-win scenario to avoid an early exit.
The round-robin concludes over the next 48 hours, with the semi-finals scheduled to begin shortly thereafter. For Canadian fans, the focus shifts to the final preliminary matches to determine if Jacobs can overtake the Swiss for the top seed and a more favourable semi-final matchup.