Brier 2026
Matt Dunstone, youngest skip in two decades, wins first Brier title with Manitoba's 6-3 final victory over Kevin Koe
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Manitoba's Matt Dunstone, at 30 the youngest winning skip in two decades, captured his first Canadian men's curling championship on March 10, 2026, defeating Alberta's Kevin Koe 6-3 in the Tim Hortons Brier final at Mary Brown's Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The victory ends Manitoba's 15-year title drought since 2011, marks Dunstone's third straight final appearance, and earns Team Manitoba a spot at the World Men’s Curling Championship in Ogden, Utah, from March 27 to April 6.
Brad Gushue's storied career in men's curling concluded with a 7-5 playoff defeat to Brad Jacobs at the Montana’s Brier in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The 45-year-old six-time Canadian champion received an emotional farewell from over 6,000 hometown fans. Jacobs' team, fresh off Olympic gold, advanced to the semifinals.
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Alberta's Kevin Koe defeated Manitoba's Matt Dunstone 9-7 in an extra end during the Page 1-2 playoff at the 2026 Montana’s Brier, securing a spot in Sunday's championship final. The 51-year-old skip, aiming for a record fifth Brier title, remains undefeated after 10 straight wins at the event in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Koe's team will face the winner of the semifinal between Dunstone and defending champion Brad Jacobs.
The 2026 Montana's Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship, opened on February 27 in St. John's, Newfoundland, with 18 teams competing for a spot at the world championships. Hometown skip Brad Gushue enters his 23rd and final Brier, aiming for a record seventh title after six previous wins. Defending champions Team Canada, fresh off Olympic gold, face stiff competition in the week-long tournament at Mary Brown's Centre.
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Two curlers, Cody Tanaka and Jayden King, are believed to be the first Asian and Black skips in the history of the Brier, Canada's national men's curling championship, which opens in St. John's on February 27, 2026. Tanaka, representing British Columbia, and King, from Ontario, expressed honor and excitement after practice sessions. The event marks significant milestones in the sport's diversity efforts.