A typical curling match lasts about 2 to 3 hours , but it depends on the format and level of play.

Quick Scoop: Key timings ⏱

  • Club / recreational games: Usually 8 ends, around 2 hours from first stone to handshake.
  • Championship / elite events: Commonly 10 ends, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours including breaks and timeouts.
  • Olympic men’s & women’s: 10 ends, generally 2.5 to 3 hours.
  • Mixed doubles: Often 8 ends, about 1.5 to 2 hours.

Think of an end like an inning in baseball: most take about 15 minutes , so more ends = longer match.

What actually controls the length?

Even with standard formats, several things change how long a curling match lasts:

  1. Number of ends
    • 8-end games → shorter night-league feel, about 2 hours.
 * 10-end games → full championship experience, close to 3 hours max.
  1. Game clocks (“thinking time”)
    • At top levels, teams get a fixed thinking time instead of a pure wall clock limit (for example, around 38 minutes per team for 10-end games in major events).
 * Once a team’s thinking time is gone, they have to throw faster or risk running out of time, which keeps matches from dragging on.
  1. Pace of play & style
    • Teams that huddle over every possible angle can push the match toward the full 3 hours.
 * More direct, aggressive play (fewer long discussions, ends that finish quickly) keeps games closer to the low end of the time range.
  1. Extra ends
    • If the score is tied after regulation (8 or 10 ends), extra ends are played and can add 15–20 minutes per extra end.

Real-world viewing expectations

  • If you’re going to play a club game, plan on:
    • Arriving early to change shoes, warm up, and pebble time if needed.
    • About 2 to 2.25 hours total in the ice shed for a standard league draw.
  • If you’re going to watch high-level curling:
    • Broadcasters often schedule around 3 hours for full 10-end broadcasts to cover play, breaks, and possible extra ends.

In casual terms: if you block off an evening for curling, assume “movie length” — roughly a feature film from first stone to last.

Mini FAQ

Does curling ever go much longer than 3 hours?
Very rarely; strict thinking-time rules and event schedules are designed so championship games usually finish within that window.

Is mixed doubles always shorter?
Usually yes, because it’s only 8 ends and uses tighter time limits, so it tends to finish around the 1.5–2 hour mark.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.