World Curling plans to hold women's worlds in the United Arab Emirates

With the curling season fully underway and the clock ticking down to world-championship season in March, World Curling has confirmed that it plans to hold the women’s world championship, slated for mid-March, in the United Arab Emirates. 

CBC Sports has learned the federation overseeing the sport is planning to not only hold the women’s world championship in the region for this season but is also eyeing the men’s world championship there as well.

The details on a specific location have not been shared. 

“We can confirm that we are in advanced discussions with the United Arab Emirates for the hosting of the World Women’s Championship this season,” Chris Hamilton, World Curling head of communications, wrote in an email. 

“Those discussions also involve wider growth opportunities in the region, including the hosting of a world men’s championship at a future date, the running of regional championships, as well as camps and courses provided by the World Curling Academy.”

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While the plan right now is to hold the women’s world championship in the UAE, nothing is official at this point. 

It is unprecedented for the host of a world championship to not be named by this point. 

World championships are held every year in Canada – one year it’s the women’s worlds, the next year it’s the men’s worlds. The other world championships are held in international locations. 

On the men’s side of things, the upcoming world championship is scheduled for late-March in St. John, N.B. That announcement was made more than a year ago, giving curlers and organizers ample time to prepare and plan. 

There has never been a curling event of