The 2025 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship kicks off this Saturday, March 29, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where 13 of the world's top curling teams will compete for the prestigious title. The event will take place at the Temple Gardens Centre, a venue known for its rich curling history, having previously hosted the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2015 and 2022, as well as the women's worlds in 1983 and the junior worlds in 1979. This marks the first time Moose Jaw has hosted the men’s world championship, adding a unique chapter to the city’s curling legacy.
This year’s tournament is the 66th edition of the world men’s championship, with Canada leading the way historically, having secured 36 titles and reached the podium a remarkable 57 times. The competition format features a 12-game round robin, where each team will play against every other team once over the course of seven days. The round robin will conclude on April 4, with the top six teams advancing to the playoff round, where the top two seeds will receive a bye to the semifinals.
The excitement begins on Saturday with draws scheduled at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time. Following the round robin, the playoff qualifiers will be held on April 5, starting with the 3rd seed facing the 6th seed and the 4th seed taking on the 5th seed at 9 a.m. The semifinals will follow on the same day at 3 p.m., with the winners advancing to the gold medal final on April 6 at 3 p.m., while the losers will compete for bronze that morning.
Among the favorites to win this year is Sweden’s Niklas Edin, who enters the tournament as the defending champion after defeating Canada’s Brad Gushue in the 2024 final. Edin has been a dominant force in curling, clinching five of the last six world championships since 2018. Team Scotland, led by Bruce Mouat, is also a strong contender, currently ranked No. 1 in the world and fresh off a victory over Gushue in 2023.
Canada will be represented by Brad Jacobs and his Alberta-based team, who earned the right to wear the Maple Leaf by winning the recent Montana's Brier in Kelowna, B.C. Jacobs, who last competed at the world championship in 2013, is joined by seasoned teammates Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert, all of whom have previously won the world championship. Jacobs expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform on home ice, stating, "I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but in Canada. Any time you can have the crowd behind you can definitely create an advantage."
Hebert, who has a special connection to Saskatchewan, echoed Jacobs' sentiments, proclaiming, "I still think the best sports fans in the country are in Saskatchewan." Hebert, a world champion in 2016, acknowledged the improvements made by both his team and their international competitors since then. "We’re confident because we’ve played these teams a lot, and we’ve had a great record in the slams this year playing high competition… We’re battle-tested," he said.
As the tournament approaches, the coaching staff is also focused on maintaining the team's mental and physical readiness. Coach Paul Webster and Canadian national coach Jeff Stoughton have emphasized the importance of keeping the team accountable and managing their time effectively throughout the demanding schedule. Stoughton, a two-time world champion himself, highlighted the challenge of navigating the 12-game round robin followed by the playoffs, stating, "This is a long grind, you're playing 12 games in less than a week and then the playoffs start, so there's a lot of time where your time is being requested."
The competition will also see newcomers like Austria, making their first world championship appearance since 2002, alongside established teams such as Team Switzerland, skipped by Yannick Schwaller, and Germany, led by Marc Muskatewitz, the reigning European champions. Other teams in the mix include Italy’s Joel Retornaz, the United States’ Korey Dropkin, and Japan’s Riku Yanagisawa, all of whom are eager to make their mark in this prestigious event.
As the championship unfolds, fans can expect thrilling matches and intense rivalries, particularly as Canada seeks its 37th world title, aiming for its first gold since 2017. The opening match for Team Canada will be against Japan at 2 p.m. on Saturday, setting the stage for a week filled with high-stakes curling action.
With the world’s best teams competing and the home crowd rallying behind them, the 2025 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship promises to be an unforgettable event. As the teams prepare to hit the ice, all eyes will be on Moose Jaw, where the quest for curling supremacy begins.
