What is the maximum number of players on a curling team? A curling team can have five players on its roster.
In traditional four-person curling, four players compete on the ice at one time: the lead, second, third or vice-skip, and skip. A fifth team member may be registered as the alternate, a substitute who can replace a player when competition rules allow. That makes five the usual maximum team size in major championship and Olympic team curling.
The four on-ice positions have different responsibilities, although all players deliver stones and sweep. The skip directs strategy and usually throws the final stones of each end. The alternate may not play every game, but is an official part of the team roster and can become important if a teammate is unavailable.
This question can be confused by mixed doubles, which uses two players per team, or by wheelchair curling, whose regulations may differ in format. The answer five refers to standard team curling’s roster, not the number simultaneously playing on the sheet. Only four players are normally on the ice during a regular four-person game.