The ICF was initially formed in 1966 as a committee of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club in Perth after the success of the Scotch Cup series of world championships held between Canada and Scotland. At the outset, it comprised the associations of Scotland, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States. In the wake of its formation, it sanctioned the World Curling Championships. The WCF currently sanctions fifteen international curling events (see below). The WCF is managed by eight Board Directors, one president, three vice-presidents (one from each WCF regional zone - Americas, Europe, Pacific-Asia) and six Board Directors. The six Board Directors must all come from different member associations. All positions on the Board of Directors are elected by WCF member associations. The Board of Directors are supported by and a permanent staff of 20 employees.
There are currently 61 member associations, with the federation's first African member association Nigeria being the most recent addition.[2]
The WCF mission statement reads: "The World Curling Federation represents curling internationally and facilitates the growth of the sport through a network of Member Associations/Federations."[3]
| Year | Name | Country | WCF Zone |
|---|
| 2017 | Afghanistan Curling Federation | Afghanistan}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1991 | Andorra Curling Association | Andorra}} | Europe |
| 1986 | Australian Curling Federation | Australia}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1982 | Österreichischer Curling Verband | Austria}} | Europe |
| 1997 | Belarusian Curling Association | Belarus}} | Europe |
| 2005 | Belgium Curling Association | Belgium}} | Europe |
| 1998 | Brazilian Ice Sports Federation | Brazil}} | Americas |
| 2013 | Bulgarian Curling Federation | Bulgaria}} | Europe |
| 1966 | Curling Canada | Canada}} | Americas |
| 2002 | Chinese Curling Association | China}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1998 | [https://tpecurling.org Chinese Taipei Curling Federation] | Chinese Taipei}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2004 | Croatian Curling Association | Croatia}} | Europe |
| 1990 | Czech Curling Association | Czech Republic}} | Europe |
| 1971 | Danish Curling Association | Denmark}} | Europe |
| 1971 | English Curling Association | England}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Estonian Curling Association | Estonia}} | Europe |
| 1979 | Finnish Curling Association | Finland}} | Europe |
| 1966 | French Ice Sports Federation | France}} | Europe |
| 2013 | Georgian Curling Federation | Georgia}} | Europe |
| 1967 | Deutscher Curling-Verband | Germany}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Hellenic Curling Association | Greece}} | Europe |
| 2016 | Guyana Curling Federation | Guyana}} | Americas |
| 2014 | Hong Kong Curling Association | Hong Kong}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1989 | Hungarian Curling Federation | Hungary}} | Europe |
| 1991 | Icelandic Sport Federation | Iceland}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Irish Curling Association | Ireland|4prov}} | Europe |
| 2013 | Israel Curling Federation | Israel}} | Europe |
| 1972 | [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721124704/http://www.fisg.it/Curling/Default.asp Italian Curling Association] | Italy}} | Europe |
| 1985 | Japan Curling Association | Japan}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2003 | Kazakhstan Curling Association | Kazakhstan}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2012 | Kosovo Curling Federation | Kosovo}} | Europe |
| 2017 | Curling Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic | Kyrgyzstan}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2001 | Latvian Curling Association | Latvia}} | Europe |
| 1991 | Liechtenstein Curling Association | Liechtenstein}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Lithuanian Curling Association | Lithuania}} | Europe |
| 1976 | Luxembourg Curling Association | Luxembourg}} | Europe |
| 2016 | FMC Deportes Invernales AC | Mexico}} | Americas |
| 2012 | Mongolian Curling Federation | Mongolia}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1975 | Netherlands Curling Association | Netherlands}} | Europe |
| 1991 | New Zealand Curling Association | New Zealand}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2018 | [https://www.nigeriacurling.com/ Nigeria Curling Federation] | Nigeria}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1966 | Norwegian Curling Association | Norway}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Polish Curling Association | Poland}} | Europe |
| 2017 | Portugal Curling Association | Portugal}} | Europe |
| 2014 | Qatar Curling Federation | Qatar}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 2010 | Romanian Curling Federation | Romania}} | Europe |
| 1992 | Russian Curling Federation | Russia}} | Europe |
| 2017 | Kingdom Curling Association | Saudi Arabia}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1966 | Royal Caledonian Curling Club | Scotland}} | Europe |
| 2005 | National Curling Association of Serbia | Serbia}} | Europe |
| 2003 | Slovak Curling Association | Slovakia}} | Europe |
| 2010 | Slovenian Curling Association | Slovenia}} | Europe |
| 1994 | Korean Curling Association | South Korea}} | Pacific|Pacific-Asia}} |
| 1999 | Spanish Ice Sports Federation | Spain}} | Europe |
| 1966 | Swedish Curling Association | Sweden}} | Europe |
| 1966 | Swiss Curling Association | Switzerland}} | Europe |
| 2009 | Turkish Ice Skating Federation | Turkey}} | Europe |
| 2013 | Ukrainian Curling Federation | Ukraine}} | Europe |
| 1966 | United States Curling Association | United States}} | Americas |
| 1991 | US Virgin Islands Curling Association | {{flag|U.S. Virgin Islands}}}} | Americas |
| 1982 | Welsh Curling Association | Wales}} | Europe |
The WCF manages many events around the world.[9]
| Event | Description |
|---|
| International championships |
|---|
| Olympic Winter Games (OWG) | For ten men's, women's, and mixed doubles teams. |
| Paralympic Winter Games (PWG) | For twelve mixed teams. |
| Youth Olympic Games (YOG) | For twenty-four mixed teams and forty-eight mixed doubles teams. |
| World Men's Curling Championship (WMCC) | For thirteen men's teams. |
| World Women's Curling Championship (WWCC) | For thirteen women's teams. |
| World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (WMDCC) | Open entry: one team may enter from each Member Association. |
| World Wheelchair Curling Championship (WWhCC) | For twelve mixed teams. |
| World Junior Curling Championships (WJCC) | For ten junior men's and ten junior women's teams. |
| World Mixed Curling Championship (WMxCC) | Open entry: one team may enter from each Member Association. |
| World Senior Curling Championships (WSCC) | Open entry: one team from each gender may enter from each Member Association. The players must not be less than 50 years of age. |
| Curling World Cup | For eight men's, women's, and mixed doubles teams, consisting of three legs and a Grand Final. |
| Qualification events |
|---|
| Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) | For men's and women's teams from National Olympic Committees previously qualified for World Curling Championships but not already qualified for the Olympic Winter Games. |
| World Qualification Event (WQE) | For eight men's and women's teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Curling Championships. |
| World Wheelchair-B Curling Championship (WWhBCC) | For mixed gender teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Wheelchair Curling Championship. |
| World Junior-B Curling Championships (WJBCC) | For junior men's and junior women's teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Wheelchair Curling Championship. |
| Regional championships |
|---|
| Pacific-Asia Curling Championships (PACC) | For men's and women's teams from the Pacific-Asia zone. |
| European Curling Championships (ECC) | For men's and women's teams from the European zone. |
| Americas Challenge | For men's and women's teams from the Americas zone, only if the second-ranked member association from the Americas zone is challenged. |
| Future events |
|---|
| World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event (WMDQE) | For mixed doubles teams from member associations not already qualified for the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. |
| Defunct events |
|---|
| Pacific-Asia Junior Curling Championships (PJCC) | For junior men's and women's teams from the Pacific Zone; acts as qualification to the WJCC. Replaced by World Junior-B Curling Championships. |
| European Junior Curling Challenge (EJCC) | For junior men's and women's teams from the European zone that have not already qualified for WJCC. Replaced by World Junior-B Curling Championships. |
1. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.worldcurling.org/board-and-staff |website=World Curling Federation |accessdate=16 March 2019}}
2. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1069789/caithness-unanimously-returns-as-world-curling-federation-president|title=Caithness unanimously returns as World Curling Federation President|date=September 9, 2018|website=www.insidethegames.biz|first=James|last=Diamond|access-date=December 16, 2018}}
3. ^http://www.worldcurling.org/about-the-wcf
4. ^http://www.worldcurling.org/rules-and-regulations
5. ^World Curling Federation Members
6. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcurling.org/world-curling-federation-annual-general-assembly-april-2012|title=World Curling Federation Annual General Assembly April 2012|date=6 April 2012|publisher=World Curling Federation}}
7. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcurling.org/wcf-annual-general-assembly-2014-review|title=WCF Annual General Assembly 2014 - 7 September|date=7 September 2014|publisher=World Curling Federation|accessdate=7 September 2014}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcurling.org/past-presidents|title=Past Presidents of the WCF|author=World Curling Federation}}
9. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcurling.org/championships-overview|title=Championships Overview|author=World Curling Federation}}