DAZN has been named the global broadcaster for the first-ever FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship in 2026. The tournament will be available free-to-view worldwide on the DAZN app from February 13 to 15. This partnership aims to bring the innovative Freestyle Chess format to a broader audience.
The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 marks the debut of an official global event in the Freestyle Chess format, also known as Chess960 or Fischer Random. This variant eliminates the need for memorized opening theory, emphasizing real-time creativity and calculation among players. DAZN's involvement ensures a high-production global feed to showcase these elements.
The tournament is scheduled for February 13–15, 2026, at the Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort in Germany. It features an elite eight-player field, including world number one Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and rising star Nodirbek Abdusattorov. A prize pool of USD300,000 (AUD424,020) underscores the event's commercial significance.
The collaboration involves DAZN, FIDE, and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH. DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev commented: “Freestyle Chess is growing fast and attracting a new generation of fans, and DAZN is the ideal partner to help drive that growth.” He added: “Adding the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship underlines our commitment to backing new tournaments and helping them reach global audiences.”
This partnership provides a mainstream platform for Freestyle Chess, which is gaining traction among younger audiences. The free-to-view streaming on DAZN's app worldwide aims to expand the format's reach.
