The International Chess Federation has announced a major overhaul to the format of the 2027 FIDE World Cup and Women's World Cup. The final stage will feature only 16 players per event after a Swiss group stage.
The new structure replaces large knockout fields with 224 players in the open section and 128 in the women's event. All participants will first compete in a nine-round Swiss tournament using a fast classical time control of 45 minutes plus a 30-second increment.
The top four players from each of four groups in the open event and the top eight from two groups in the women's event will advance to a traditional knockout phase with two-game classical matches and rapid-and-blitz playoffs. The Swiss stage will last five days.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said the changes aim to make the events more inclusive while preserving excitement. The total prize fund rises to $3.3 million, with top prizes remaining at $120,000 for the open winner and $50,000 for the women's winner.
U.S. GM Hans Niemann welcomed the faster time control, calling it a great initiative. Other players expressed mixed views on the Swiss pools and the sudden announcement.