Day three of the 2026 Crown Royal Players’ Championship unfolds at the Southeast Event Centre in Steinbach, Manitoba. As pool play progresses, teams begin to solidify their standings while aiming for playoff positions. Fans can stream the action live at watch.rockchannel.com or tune in to Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ for broadcast coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Thursday’s Matchups
Exciting matchups are on the schedule for Thursday, with a spotlight on Draw 11 where Winnipeg’s Team Matt Dunstone faces Calgary’s Team Brad Jacobs. This encounter marks their seventh clash this season, with a current split of three wins each. Dunstone initially outperformed Jacobs in earlier confrontations, yet Jacobs clinched the recent victories.
- Noteworthy Statistics:
- Dunstone leads the season record 3-3 against Jacobs.
- Jacobs has qualified for the Winter Olympics after sweeping the finals at the Canadian Curling Trials.
- Player News:
- E.J. Harnden of Team Dunstone is set to retire from full-time competitive curling post-season.
- Dunstone commended Harnden as one of the best competitors and a key asset to the team.
Key Matches and Results
Here are the results from the earlier draws on Thursday:
| Draw | Time (ET) | Matchup | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 9:30 a.m. | Gim vs. Kitazawa | Gim 7, Kitazawa 5 |
| 8 | 9:30 a.m. | Fujisawa vs. X. Schwaller | Fujisawa 6, X. Schwaller 4 |
| 8 | 9:30 a.m. | Xu vs. Y. Schwaller | Xu 8, Y. Schwaller 7 (shootout) |
| 8 | 9:30 a.m. | Waddell vs. Jacobs | Waddell 7, Jacobs 4 |
| 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Peterson vs. Hasselborg | Peterson 7, Hasselborg 5 |
| 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Yoshimura vs. Einarson | Yoshimura 10, Einarson 2 |
| 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Retornaz vs. Whyte | Retornaz 7, Whyte 6 (shootout) |
| 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Casper vs. Edin | Casper 6, Edin 3 |
Event Overview
The Crown Royal Players’ Championship is the final Grand Slam event of the curling season. The competition features 12 elite men’s and women’s teams globally, split into two pools of six. The top six teams will progress to the playoffs, with the leading two earning byes. If needed, a tiebreaker will occur on Saturday, and if games are tied in round-robin play, a shootout will determine the winner.
With playoffs approaching, teams are eager to secure their spots. The quarterfinals and semifinals are set for Saturday, leading to the much-anticipated finals on Sunday. Stay tuned to El-Balad for ongoing updates and coverage of this thrilling curling event.
