▁among ▁the ▁losing ▁teams ▁of ▁a ▁four - team ▁knock out ▁round . ▁A ▁bronze ▁medal ▁game ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁knock out ▁round ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁but ▁bronze ▁medal ▁games ▁were ▁not ▁held ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁during ▁which ▁bronze ▁med als ▁were ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁teams ▁that ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁semif inals . ▁ ▁Until ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁format ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁champion ships ▁used ▁a ▁twelve ▁team ▁round - ro bin ▁pre lim inary ▁round , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁top ▁four ▁teams ▁advance ▁to ▁a ▁knock out ▁round ▁held ▁using ▁the ▁Page ▁play off ▁system . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁there ▁are ▁ 1 3 ▁teams ▁playing ▁round - ro bin ▁pre lim inary ▁round ▁with ▁top ▁six ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁a ▁single - el im ination ▁knock out ▁with ▁top ▁two ▁receiving ▁by e ▁to ▁the ▁semif inals . ▁This ▁includes ▁two ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁zone , ▁eight ▁from ▁the ▁European ▁zone ▁( via ▁the ▁European ▁Cur ling ▁Championships ) ▁and ▁three ▁from ▁the ▁Asia - P ac ific ▁zone ▁( via ▁the ▁Pacific - As ia ▁Cur ling ▁Championships ). ▁For ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁Asia - P ac ific ▁zone ▁will ▁be ▁reduced ▁by ▁one , ▁and ▁there ▁will ▁also ▁be ▁one ▁less ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁zone ▁of ▁the ▁bottom - pla ced ▁team ▁at ▁the ▁ 2