U.S. Women's Curling Team Falls to Switzerland in Olympics Semifinal

The Americans will now face Canada in the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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The U.S. women's curling team lost 7-4 to Switzerland in the semifinal match at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ending their bid for a first-ever gold medal. They will now play Canada in the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

Why it matters

The U.S. women's curling team has never won an Olympic medal since the event was added to the program in 1998. This semifinal loss is a setback in their quest for a historic first medal, but they still have a chance to reach the podium by defeating Canada in the bronze-medal match.

The details

The match remained close throughout, with the U.S. taking an early lead before Switzerland answered with a two-point end in the second. The Swiss, led by vice skip Alina Pätz who had a 99% shot success rate, used the hammer effectively to keep the Americans from mounting a comeback. In the final end, the U.S. had one last chance but Pätz denied them and delivered a two-point score to seal the win for Switzerland.

  • The semifinal match took place on Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • The bronze-medal match between the U.S. and Canada will be played on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The players

Tabitha Peterson

The skip of the U.S. women's curling team.

Alina Pätz

The vice skip of the Swiss women's curling team, who had a 99% shot success rate in the semifinal match.

Switzerland

The Swiss women's curling team, who will play for the gold medal on Sunday against Sweden.

Canada

The U.S. women's curling team will face Canada in the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

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What’s next

The U.S. women's curling team will face Canada in the bronze-medal match on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The takeaway

The U.S. women's curling team's quest for their first-ever Olympic medal remains alive, as they will have one more chance to reach the podium by defeating Canada in the bronze-medal match on Saturday. This semifinal loss is a setback, but the Americans still have an opportunity to make history and bring home a medal from the 2026 Winter Olympics.