First official FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship set for February 2026

The first official FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship will be held in Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13 to 15, 2026, following a landmark agreement between International Chess Federation and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH.

The event marks the first time a World Championship title in the Freestyle Chess format will be awarded under a joint framework involving FIDE and a private organiser.

Freestyle Chess, also known as Chess960 or Fischer Random Chess, will now be governed under FIDE’s official World Championship structure. FIDE confirmed that no event can carry World Championship status in any format without its formal approval, reinforcing its role as the sport’s global governing body.

The eight-player championship field will largely be drawn from performances on the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Six players have already qualified: Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi and Javokhir Sindarov. One additional player has been nominated by Freestyle Chess, while the final spot will be decided through an online qualification tournament organised by FIDE.

Prize fund, format and women’s events confirmed

The championship will feature a total prize fund of $300,000, with $100,000 awarded to the world champion. The tournament opens with a rapid round-robin stage on February 13, followed by knockout semifinals on February 14 and a four-game final on February 15.

Alongside the main event, a women’s exhibition match will be staged in Weissenhaus. FIDE and Freestyle Chess have also agreed to launch the first FIDE Women’s Freestyle Chess Championship later in 2026, backed by a $50,000 prize fund.

Set on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, Weissenhaus will host the event in a closed, broadcast-focused environment, continuing its growing association with elite-level chess competitions.