What happens if my team is late for the start of a game?

Under rule R12(k), the penalty depends on how late the team is (for Mixed Doubles the times are shorter, shown in brackets):

• Under 1 minute: no penalty. Score 0-0.
• 1:00 to 14:59 (Mixed Doubles 1:00 to 9:59): one end is considered completed. The on-time team has last stone advantage and the score is 1-0 to them.
• 15:00 to 29:59 (Mixed Doubles 10:00 to 19:59): two ends are considered completed. The on-time team has last stone advantage and the score is 2-0 to them.
• 30:00 or more (Mixed Doubles 20:00 or more): the late team forfeits and the other team is declared the winner.

If both teams are late, the same number of ends is considered completed but the score stays 0-0, and the last stone is decided by the Last Stone Draw or a coin toss. If both teams are 30 minutes or more late, the game is considered over and both teams take a loss.

Source: World Curling Rules of Curling, 1 September 2026, rule R12(k).