Canada Loses to U.S. in Second Straight World Men's Curling Defeat

Matt Dunstone's Canadian team falls 9-3 to John Shuster's American squad in seven ends

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:20pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the fragmented movements and actions of a curling match, with sharp, overlapping planes of ice, stones, brooms, and players' bodies.Canada's struggles at the world men's curling championship expose cracks in the nation's historic dominance of the sport.Ogden Today

Canada's Matt Dunstone suffered another tough loss at the world men's curling championship, falling 9-3 to the United States' John Shuster in seven ends on Sunday. This marks Canada's second straight defeat in the tournament.

Why it matters

Curling is a point of national pride for Canada, which has historically dominated the sport. This early stumble for the Canadian team raises concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level and defend their status as a curling powerhouse on the world stage.

The details

Dunstone's Canadian team struggled from the start, unable to gain the crucial first-end hammer advantage. The Americans capitalized, scoring heavily to build an insurmountable lead and cruise to the 9-3 victory in just seven ends.

  • The match took place on Sunday, March 30, 2026.
  • This was Canada's second straight loss in the world men's curling championship.

The players

Matt Dunstone

The skip of the Canadian men's curling team competing at the world championship.

John Shuster

The skip of the United States men's curling team who led his squad to victory over Canada.

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What they’re saying

“Early on, it's tough not getting the hammer (in the first end) and I think it starts there for us.”

— Matt Dunstone, Canadian Curling Team Skip

What’s next

Canada will look to bounce back in their next match as they continue their quest to defend their status as a curling powerhouse on the world stage.

The takeaway

This early stumble for the Canadian men's curling team at the world championship raises concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level and maintain their nation's historic dominance in the sport.