Philippine Men’s curling team sweeps Scotland qualifiers, nears historic Winter Olympics berth

From tropical roots to icy triumphs, the Philippine men’s curling team continues to carve an improbable yet inspiring path toward the Winter Olympics.

In a sport far removed from the country’s climate, the Filipino curlers delivered a flawless performance over the weekend, going unbeaten at the pre-Olympic qualification event held at Curl Aberdeen in Scotland — a huge step toward realizing their Milan–Cortina 2026 dream.

The all-heritage squad of Marc Pfister, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Brayden Carpenter, and alternate Alan Frei — the same group that made history by clinching the Philippines’ first-ever Asian Winter Games gold last February — now officially advances to the Olympic Qualification Event 2025 in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, from December 6 to 19.

At stake: two coveted tickets to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

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The Philippines are sweeping away any doubt that Olympic dreams can come true.

The island nation, who didn’t have a curling team two years ago, are on target for @milanocortina26. Check out their inspiring story. #RoadToMilanoCortina2026 #Curling

: With thanks to… pic.twitter.com/tCgd4114rR

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) October 9, 2025

“We’re so happy to announce that our Philippine men’s curling team is just a door step away from making it to Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, celebrating the team’s latest breakthrough.

The Philippines’ remarkable run in Aberdeen saw the Pfister-led squad dominate the competition, toppling Denmark (7–4), Chinese Taipei (10–0), New Zealand (6–5), Australia (9–4), and Poland (7–2) to complete a clean sweep.

“They performed really well in Scotland and we are proud of them,” Tolentino added. “We expect them to advance, and we are calling the entire nation for support and prayers. We are also hoping that the PSC [Philippine Sports Commission] support their campaign.”

It’s been a steady climb for the squad since their golden triumph in Harbin earlier this year, where they stunned powerhouse South Korea, 5–3, in the Asian Winter Games final — a win that put the Philippines on the map in a sport once thought impossible for a Southeast Asian nation to conquer.

Now, only one more hurdle remains between the Filipinos and an Olympic debut that would redefine what’s possible for Philippine sports on ice.

The Kelowna qualifier will feature the top teams from across the globe, including men’s sides from Czechia, Poland, and New Zealand, alongside the women’s representatives from Germany and Australia. Ten countries — plus host Italy — will ultimately make up the curling field for the 2026 Winter Olympics from February 4 to 22.

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