Sweden Triumphs Over China 9-4 in 2026 Women's Curling World Championship Amid Player Injury

At the 2026 Women's Curling World Championship held in Calgary, Canada, Team Sweden, led by skipper Isabella Wranå, secured a 9-4 victory against China in a match marked by strong play and an unfortunate injury. The Swedish squad initially took a solid lead of 4-1 after four rounds but briefly lost their advantage when Almida de Val missed two consecutive stones in the fifth round, allowing China to tie the game at 4-4. SVT expert Eva Lund described these misses as both unusual and costly for Sweden.

The match also saw a significant moment when Chinese player Han Yu suffered a knee injury after falling on the ice during the sixth round. Despite the fall and requiring help from her teammates to leave the surface, Han Yu was able to continue playing, although her injury caused concern. Following this, Sweden regained momentum and pulled ahead decisively to finish the game 9-4, prompting China to concede.

Isabella Wranå expressed satisfaction with her team's performance throughout the tournament, noting their steady improvement and current strong position. With six wins out of eight matches, including this recent victory, Team Wranå is likely to secure a playoff spot in the championship. After this win, Sweden is set to face Japan next, with the match scheduled at 02:00 Swedish time.

Team Wranå is making its senior World Championship debut this year, having been selected over the Olympic champion Team Hasselborg due to higher ranking points at the time. The team boasts notable credentials, including a Grand Slam Players’ Championship win in 2023 and individual success by members such as Almida de Val and Isabella Wranå in mixed doubles events.

The tournament itself runs from March 14 to 22, with extensive broadcasting available for Swedish viewers via SVT Play and SVT24, highlighting the growing prominence of curling in Sweden.

Overall, Sweden’s dominant performance against China, despite challenges, underscores their strong championship campaign and positions them well for the playoffs ahead.