In spring 2026, the world’s chess elite will gather on the west coast of Cyprus. From 28 March to 16 April, the Cap St Georges Hotel resort near Paphos will host the men’s and women’s Candidates Tournaments. This is the culmination of the road to the World Championship matches. The prize fund for the competition is one million euros. Nothing like this has ever happened before in the history of chess in Cyprus.

Andrey Avsitidiysky

How did the selection process work?

  • Eight male and female chess players who qualified according to FIDE selection criteria will take part in the double round-robin tournaments.
  • They were determined by the FIDE Circuit points system, the results of the 2025 World Cup and the 2025 Grand Swiss tournament, as well as on the basis of Elo ratings.

‘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’, said FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky.

Tournament rules

  • Games will be played with a time control of two hours for the first 40 moves + half an hour until the end of the game, with an additional 30 seconds per move starting from the 41st move.
  • Players will not be allowed to agree to a draw before the 41st move.

According to Kriton Tornaritis, President of the Cyprus Chess Federation, organising the Candidates Tournament is both a great honour and a great responsibility, as well as a turning point for chess on the island:

‘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’.

Determining the winners

  • If, after 14 rounds, no chess players have secured a clear first place, the winners will be determined in a play-off (rapid + blitz).
  • They will earn the right to play matches against the world champion (Gukesh Dommaraju of India) and the world champion (Ju Wenjun of China).

‘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. We strive to provide an exceptional experience for players, fans and the global chess community’, said Freedom24 Executive Director Evgenii Tiapkin.

Historical background

  • In the 20th century, Candidates Tournaments were held in Budapest (1950), Zurich (1953), Amsterdam (1956), Bled, Zagreb and Belgrade (1959), Curaçao (1962) and Montpellier (1985).
  • In the 21st century, Candidates Tournaments have been held in London (2013), Khanty-Mansiysk (2014), Moscow (2016), Berlin (2018), Yekaterinburg (2020, 2021), Madrid (2022) and Toronto (2024).

‘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’, assured George Ioannou, owner and CEO of Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort.

Interesting facts

  • To guarantee his trip to Cyprus, Hikaru Nakamura, the world’s second-ranked chess player, became the champion of Louisiana and Iowa.
  • For the first time, a brother and sister will take part in the Candidates Tournament: 20-year-old Rameshbabu Pragnanandha and 24-year-old Rameshbabu Vaishali.

For the second time in a row, the men’s and women’s Candidates Tournaments will be held simultaneously. We can look forward to exciting games, sporting drama and intense competition until the very last round.

* Tickets for the Candidates Tournament can be purchased on the FIDE website

* FIDE Candidates Cyprus 2026 website –https://candidates2026.fide.com

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