Next year’s championships are scheduled to take place March 5-12, hopefully marking a return to major events hosted by the World Curling Federation (WCF) after the coronavirus pandemic destroyed the international calendar.

Sweden has previously hosted the World Junior Curling Championships in 1999, 2008 and 2012 – all three competitions taking place in Östersund.

Krasnoyarsk, Russia last hosted the championships in 2020, where Canada won gold in both men and women.

The 2021 edition, which was scheduled to take place in Beijing in February, has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are delighted to be hosting our 2022 World Junior Curling Championships in Jönköping, Sweden next season,” said WCF President Kate Caithness.

“After the disappointment of having canceled the 2021 edition of these championships, it was vitally important for the future of our sport to ensure that our junior curlers had the opportunity to compete for a world title.

“The Swedish Curling Association is an important partner, and I have no doubts that they, together with the local organizing committee in Jönköping, will organize a first-class event for everyone involved.”

Jönköping Curling Club is located in southern Sweden near Lake Vättern and is the Swedish national arena for curling, with six ice patches.

It is part of a larger complex that includes a hotel, restaurant, gym, bowling alley, tennis and paddle courts.

“The juniors are the future of the sport and they have been extremely affected by the pandemic with the cancellation of all major events,” added Swedish Curling Association President Michael Marklund.

“With all fingers crossed we are now planning another junior world championship in Sweden and that is fantastic.

“Together with the Jönköping Curling Club and the city of Jönköping, we welcome players, coaches, staff, volunteers and fans to Sweden in early March 2022.”

The last WCF event to take place there was the World Cup of Curling two years ago.