At the 2025 World Men’s Curling Championship in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, China faced a tough 3-7 defeat against Switzerland, missing out on the final and a direct qualification spot for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
The Chinese team, featuring Xu Xiaoming, Fei Xueqing, Wang Zhiyu, and Li Zhichao, had previously secured a thrilling 8-7 victory over Norway. However, the Swiss team started strong, taking an early 2-0 lead in the second end. By the fourth end, Switzerland extended their advantage to 4-1, and by the seventh end, they were ahead 6-2.
Despite a determined effort, China couldn’t close the gap. In the ninth end, with Switzerland leading 7-2, China’s skip Xu Xiaoming scored one point, bringing the score to 7-3. Ultimately, China conceded defeat, and Switzerland advanced to face Scotland for the gold medal.
China will next face Canada in the bronze medal game, aiming to achieve their best result at the Championships. While they missed direct qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Chinese team still has a chance to compete for a spot in a qualification event in December.
This upcoming qualification event will feature teams ranked 9th to 13th in Olympic points, including the United States, China, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea. They will compete alongside three teams advancing from the qualifying stage for the last two Olympic spots.
