The countdown is on for the 5th edition of the FIDE Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, scheduled for October 14-16, 2025. Held as part of the Chess for Freedom project and the FIDE Year of Social Chess, this unique event brings correctional facilities from every continent together through the game of chess.
Teams from the USA, Paraguay, Croatia, Italy, Australia, Czech Republic, Jersey, Portugal, Lithuania, Georgia, Singapore, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Kazakhstan, UAE, Ghana, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini have already confirmed their participation. With more entries expected, this year’s edition is shaping up to be truly diverse and international.
Registration remains open, and correctional institutions worldwide are invited to join this global initiative.
Registration
- Participation is free of charge
- Each country may enter up to three teams: men’s, women’s, and youth (under 20)
- Teams may include inmates from one or multiple facilities
- Registration deadline: September 14, 2025
Event details
- Platform: Chess.com
- Time control: 10 minutes + 5 seconds increment
- Group stage: October 14
- Championship round: October 15
- Finals: October 16
Correctional institutions can register by completing the official form and confirming their entry via email to Tournament Organizer Mikhail Korenman (mikhail.korenman@ccsheriff.org).
Now in its fifth year, the Intercontinental Championship for Prisoners has become a cornerstone of the Chess for Freedom program. The tournament offers incarcerated individuals the chance to represent their institutions on the international stage, develop skills that encourage discipline and critical thinking, and connect with a wider community beyond prison walls. By promoting education, rehabilitation, and inclusion, the event continues to show the constructive role chess can play in preparing individuals for reintegration into society.
FIDE looks forward to welcoming even more teams to this year’s event.