Sweden's Lag Edin Forfeits Against Switzerland Amid Disappointing Curling Campaign at 2026 Winter Olympics

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Sweden's men's curling team, Lag Edin, experienced a disheartening defeat against Switzerland, ultimately conceding the match with three ends remaining. The reigning Olympic champions fell behind early, with Switzerland leading 4-0 after just two ends and extending their advantage to 6-1 by the fifth end. This loss marked Sweden's sixth defeat in seven games at the Games, effectively ending their hopes for a gold medal.

The team's performance was notably lackluster, with curling expert Eva Lund commenting on their visible lack of effort and focus, saying, "It’s as if they don’t want to be here." Despite this, Oskar Eriksson of Lag Edin expressed the challenge of maintaining concentration after losing medal contention but emphasized their desire to continue performing well.

During the contest, reserve player Simon Olofsson made his Olympic debut, substituting for Rasmus Wranå in the sixth end. His entry brought some light-hearted moments amid the somber atmosphere, with teammates joking about the situation. Olofsson started strong, successfully placing a corner guard on his first stone, though he wryly noted it would have been nicer to maintain an undefeated record.

Switzerland extended their lead to 9-4 in the seventh end, which prompted Lag Edin to concede the match. The decision to forfeit highlighted the Swedish team's struggles throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, Switzerland remains undefeated and has secured their place in the semifinals with two games left to play.

This match was a stark contrast to Sweden's previous Olympic success and underscores the team's difficulties in the current competition phase. The Swedish squad still has two matches remaining but will need significant improvement to regain their competitive edge.