China clinched the last men's curling berth for Milano Cortina 2026 on Thursday in Kelowna, Canada, beating Japan 9-4 in the decisive qualifier.

The event had the feel of a bruising mini‑league. The Chinese rink – featuring Xu Xiaoming, Xu Jingtao, Li Zhichao, Fei Xueqing and Wang Zhenhao – vied with the USA, Japan, the Philippines and several other sides for two Olympic spots.

China opened with a steady 8-5 win over the Netherlands, before edging the USA 9-8 and easing past the Philippines 5-2 in round three. Victories over New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and Poland gave the squad six straight wins, before tasting defeat for the first time following a 9-6 loss to Japan in the final round‑robin contest.

Under the competition rules, the top two teams after the round-robin faced off for direct qualification, with the loser meeting the third‑placed side for the remaining spot.

China finished on top of the table in the round-robin, but fell 9-4 against the USA in that first playoff, conceding the straight ticket. That set up a winner‑takes‑all rematch with Japan.

The Chinese players responded in the clutch. Holding the hammer in the ninth end, they scored four points to seal a 9-4 victory, dramatically clinching the final men's slot for the Olympics. That result means both China's men's and women's curling rinks have qualified for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games.