How do mixed curling and wheelchair curling differ?
A · Advanced · Competition · 5 of 5In mixed curling, each team has two men and two women who deliver in alternate order, with no alternates. In wheelchair curling, stones are delivered from a still wheelchair, by hand or delivery stick, and there is no sweeping. Wheelchair teams must include both genders. Both formats play 8 ends.
How it works
- Mixed team: two men, two women; no alternates.
- Mixed order: men and women deliver alternately.
- Mixed skip and vice-skip: of opposite genders.
- Wheelchair delivery: from a still chair, wheels on the ice, by hand or stick.
- Wheelchair lines: for deliveries near the hog line, the stone starts within them.
- No sweeping: in wheelchair curling.
- Wheelchair team: four players, both genders at all times.
- Ends: 8 in both formats.
The glossary has the mixed curling, the wheelchair curling, the wheelchair lines, the delivery stick, the wheelchair mixed doubles and the hog line.
Tricky cases
Can a wheelchair curler's feet touch the ice?
No part of the body may touch the ice during delivery.
Can delivery sticks be used in standard World Curling events?
No. Only in wheelchair events.
A wheelchair team has four men on the ice. What happens?
It forfeits the game.
When is a wheelchair stone in play?
When it reaches the hog line at the delivery end.
Why the rule exists
Alternating men and women stops a team leaning on one group for the key stones. Banning sweeping in wheelchair curling keeps the game fair for players who cannot move along the sheet.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed | Alternate genders; no alternates | WC R16 |
| Wheelchair | Still chair, stick allowed, no sweeping | WC R14 |
| Wheelchair mixed doubles | Electric chairs only if used daily | WC R15 (c) |
From the rule book
World Curling, The Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition (1 September 2026), rules R11 (e), R14, R15 and R16. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Curling's rules, reviewed every year.