In spring 2026, the world's top chess players will compete in Cyprus for the right to challenge the world champions. The men's and women's Candidates Tournaments will take place from March 28 to April 16 at the Cap St Georges Hotel resort near Paphos. This event marks the first time such a prestigious chess competition has been held on the island.
The 2026 Candidates Tournaments represent a key stage in qualifying for the World Championship matches, with eight players in each men's and women's section participating in double round-robin formats. Qualifiers were selected based on the FIDE Circuit points system, results from the 2025 World Cup and Grand Swiss tournament, and Elo ratings. The total prize fund stands at one million euros.
Games will follow a time control of two hours for the first 40 moves, plus 30 minutes for the remainder, with an additional 30 seconds per move starting from the 41st move. Draws cannot be agreed upon before the 41st move. After 14 rounds, if no clear winner emerges, play-offs involving rapid and blitz formats will determine the champions, who will then face world champion Gukesh Dommaraju of India in the men's division and Ju Wenjun of China in the women's.
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky highlighted the partnership with Freedom, stating, “This is another major project that FIDE is implementing in collaboration with Freedom. We are proud of our long-term partnership, which includes both top-level professional events and a range of educational and social programmes around the world. Strategic thinking and the desire to make society better unite FIDE and Freedom, and the 2026 Candidates Tournament is further confirmation of this shared vision.”
Kriton Tornaritis, President of the Cyprus Chess Federation, described the event as “a great honour and a great responsibility, as well as a turning point for chess on the island.” He added, “This event will enhance Cyprus’ international reputation as a venue for major intellectual and sporting events, as well as inspire a new generation of young players who will be able to see the best chess players compete at the highest level with their own eyes.”
Freedom24 Executive Director Evgenii Tiapkin noted, “Cyprus offers an inspiring combination of culture, history and hospitality. The island has established itself as a worthy venue for top-level chess. We are honoured to contribute to a new chapter in chess history.” George Ioannou, owner and CEO of Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, assured, “We are ready to give our guests a wonderful experience. Hosting the most prestigious chess tournament in the world reflects our commitment to excellence and our goal of making Paphos a leading venue for global events.”
Notable participants include Hikaru Nakamura, the world’s second-ranked player, who secured qualification by winning championships in Louisiana and Iowa. For the first time, siblings Rameshbabu Pragnanandha, 20, and Rameshbabu Vaishali, 24, will compete in the Candidates Tournament. This marks the second consecutive year that the men's and women's events are held simultaneously.
Historically, Candidates Tournaments have been hosted in various locations, including Budapest in 1950, Zurich in 1953, and more recently Toronto in 2024. Tickets are available on the FIDE website, and further details can be found at https://candidates2026.fide.com.
