Mississauga Will Host the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Summary:

• The 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be held in Mississauga, Ontario. 
• Due to the Winter Olympics in Milan, the tourney will start on January 23, earlier than usual. 
• Canada’s Olympic-bound women’s team will not be eligible to participate due to Olympic preparation.

The Canadian women’s curling championship has a rich history of over six decades. It started with a best-of-three showdown between two teams at a club near Toronto, Ontario. 

Today, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts has evolved into a significant event reuniting no less than 18 teams from across Canada, representing every province and territory. 

The tournament will debut in the Greater Toronto Area next year, marking a significant milestone for the competition.

2026 Scotties Will Be Held in Mississauga, ON

The 2026 Scotties will begin on January 23 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre Sportsplex in Mississauga, Ontario. Curling Canada’s chief executive officer, Nolan Thiessen said

The Canadian women’s curling championship has always been a staple of the Canadian sporting calendar, and we can’t wait to see the energy and enthusiasm that Mississauga and the GTA will bring to the occasion

The Toronto Curling Association and Visit Mississauga put together the bid for the 2026 Scotties nearly three years ago. Sean Holman, host committee co-chair said

We submitted the bid at the end of September and then crossed our fingers and held our breath

The formal announcement of the 2026 event was made at the sportsplex, with local, provincial, and national curling officials in attendance. 

The 5,000-seat venue near Pearson International Airport has hosted major curling events, including the Ontario men’s and women’s curling championships in 2003 and a Grand Slam of Curling event in 2009.

Matt Allen, executive director of Curling Ontario commented

Having the Scotties Tournament of Hearts come to Mississauga is an incredible opportunity for our curling community.  A lot of excitement builds around this event – especially heading into an Olympic year – and we’re confident the host committee will put together a spectacular event for everyone.”

Early Start in 2026

The 2026 competition will begin earlier than usual due to the Winter Olympics in Milan, starting in February. 

As a result, Canada’s Olympic-bound women’s team will not be eligible to compete. 

The last national women’s championship was held in the region in 2017 when Rachel Homan of Ottawa won her second Scotties title in St. Catharines.

The Scotties field includes 14 provincial and territorial teams, three pre-qualified teams based on rankings, and Canada’s defending champions. 

The 2025 Brier will begin in Kelowna, British Columbia. Plans for the 2026 Brier are still pending.