Queens’ Online Chess Festival returns in March 2026
The Queens’ Online Chess Festival will return in March 2026, marking its 6th edition as a global celebration of women’s chess. Organised by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess under the Chess4All FIDE WOM Project, the festival will run from March 1-29, 2026 and is dedicated to International Women’s Day (March 8). Participation is free of charge, and the festival is open to women and girls of all ages and playing levels, including unrated players from around the world. The 2026 edition of the Queens’ Online Chess Festival will once again feature two parallel competitions, offering opportunities for both rated and unrated players: Queens’ Women’s Open Tournament Unrated Princesses’ Tournament Queens’ Women’s Open TournamentOpen to all female players with a FIDE ID, the Women’s Open is structured as a series of continental online blitz qualifiers, followed by a Semi-Final and a Final. The qualification tournaments will take place as follows: African Online Blitz Qualification – March 1 (9:00 UTC) European Online Blitz Qualification – March 7 (9:00 UTC) Asian Online Blitz Qualification – March 8 (9:00 UTC) American Online Blitz Qualification – March 15 (13:00 UTC) Each continental qualifier will be played as a 9-round Swiss tournament with a 3+2 blitz time control. The winner of each qualifier will receive the title of Queen of her respective continent. The top 25 players from each continent will advance to the Queens’ Online Semi-Final, scheduled for March 22 at 13:00 UTC, where 100 players will compete in a 9-round Swiss tournament. The top eight finishers from the Semi-Final will qualify for the Queens’ Online Final, a 7-round round-robin blitz tournament played on March 29 at 13:00 UTC, with a 5+5 time control, to determine the overall winner of the festival. Registration deadlines for the continental qualification tournaments are as follows: Africa: February 22, 2026 Europe & Asia: March 1, 2026 Americas: March 7, 2026 The registration form for the Queens’ Women’s Open is available [HERE]. Unrated Princesses’ TournamentDesigned for girls without a FIDE rating, the Unrated Princesses’ Tournament is open to players in the U9, U11, U13, U15, and U17 age categories (U17 players must be born on or after 1 January 2009). The Princesses’ competition will include: Online Qualification Group A – March 16 (9:00 UTC) Online Qualification Group B – March 16 (13:00 UTC) Online Final Stage U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 – March 29 (13:00 UTC) All stages of the Princesses’ tournament will be played with a 5+5 blitz time control, with 7 rounds for each qualification stage Unrated players under 17 years old may choose to participate in the Queens’ Women’s Open, the Unrated Princesses’ Tournament, or both events. Registration for the Princesses’ tournament closes on March 8, 2026. The registration form is available [HERE]. Fair play and online regulations Fair play remains a central pillar of the Queens’ Online Chess Festival. All Semi-Final and Final stages will be conducted under FIDE Online Chess Regulations, including mandatory Zoom supervision, screen sharing, and camera monitoring. All games will undergo post-event fair play verification using statistical analysis tools and the FIDE Screening Tool. Awards All participants will receive an electronic certificate of participation. Additional awards include: Queens’ Women’s Open Continental titles for the winners of each qualification tournament 100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the winners of each qualification tournament Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers A prize fund of USD 600 for the top three finishers in the Queens’ Women’s Open Final An invitation for the overall winner of the Queens’ Women’s Open to attend the 46th World Chess Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan, including three nights of hotel accommodation with full board Unrated Princesses’ Tournament Diplomas for the top three finishers in each age category for both qualification stages of the Princesses’ Chess Festival Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers A physical trophy for the winner of the final 100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the final winner, and 50 USD vouchers for second and third place finishers. We are looking forward to your registrations! Regulations (PDF) Contact Information: General Director: Ozgur Solakoglu (TUR)Tournament Director: Ulkar Umudova (AZE)Festival Coordinator: Yilmaz Kar tal (TUR)Chief Arbiter: IA Kaussar Bauyrzhan (KAZ) E-mail address: queensfestival@fide.com FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess official website: wom.fide.com/
Winners crowned at Muscat Nights International Chess Championship 2026
The Muscat Nights International Chess Championship 2026 concluded in Muscat, Oman. Running from January 14–24, 2026, the competition has grown into one of the most significant FIDE-rated international chess events in the Middle East. Organized by the Oman Chess Committee and hosted at the Al Amal Club Hall, the championship attracted a broad global field and delivered a strong competitive standard across two categories – Over 2000 (Open A) and Under 2000 (Open B). Both competitions were 9-round Swiss tournaments with classical time control. The event also featured a highly competitive blitz tournament. The 2026 edition continued the strong legacy of previous years, seeing expansion in both participation and international diversity. The championship featured 270 players representing 36 countries, including more than 10 GMs and over 10 IMs. The strong presence of titled players provided valuable competitive exposure for regional and emerging players. The competition in Oman was widely recognized for its organizational quality, competitive excitement, and its contribution to the local and international chess ecosystem. Final standings – Open A Final standings – Open B Final standings – Blitz Indian players delivered particularly strong results, sweeping top honors across two categories and once again proving the strength of their national chess development programs. As part of the accompanying programs of the Muscat Nights Chess Championship, the Oman Chess Committee organized a cultural sightseeing tour for the participating players, which included visits to several prominent tourist and cultural landmarks in Muscat Governorate, such as Mutrah Souq, Al Alam Palace Square, the National Museum, and the Royal Opera House Muscat. This initiative was aimed to introduce participants to the Sultanate of Oman’s rich cultural and historical heritage, while enhancing their overall experience beyond the competitive atmosphere of the tournament. In addition, the Committee organized friendly football matches for the players at the outdoor artificial pitch of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, following the conclusion of the daily competitive rounds. These recreational activities were designed to strengthen bonds of friendship, encourage interaction, and promote camaraderie among players from different countries.