What better way to end the year than with a high-stakes chess tournament featuring the world’s top players, a one-million-euro prize fund, and popular fast-paced time controls? The 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships offers exactly this to chess players and fans around the globe. This year, from December 25-31, the annual event heads to Doha, Qatar – a world-class setting for a world-class competition. Registration is now open, and FIDE invites all eligible players to take part in one of the most exciting events on the chess calendar.
Tournament Overview
Rapid:
- Open section: 13 Swiss rounds
- Women’s section: 11 Swiss rounds
Blitz:
Two-stage format:
- Swiss stage: 19 rounds (Open), 15 rounds (Women) over two days
- Knockout stage: Only the top four players from the Swiss stage proceed to the semifinals (Open and Women). Matches in the knockout are over four games, and ties after these lead to a “sudden death” game.
Prize fund
- Open Rapid Championship: €350,000
- Open Blitz Championship: €350,000
- Women’s Rapid Championship: €150,000
- Women’s Blitz Championship: €150,000
Eligibility
- Players with a FIDE rating of 2550 (Open section) or 2250 (Women’s section) or higher in any recent FIDE rating list (Standard, Rapid, or Blitz) are eligible to participate.
- Reigning national champions also qualify regardless of rating.
- Players who do not meet the above criteria may be nominated by the FIDE President and/or the organiser.
Registration
- Entry fee: $100 for the Open section and $50 for the Women’s section.
- Late entry fee: Double the original fee if paid less than 10 days before the tournament.
Travel & accommodation support
- Open section players rated above 2750 and women’s section players rated above 2500 will have travel and accommodation covered.
- The 2024 medalists (gold, silver, bronze) will have full accommodation covered.
Accompanying person fee:
Accompanying person’s fee in amount of 100 USD must be paid by 1 November 2025, which covers:
- Transportation during the event: airport-hotel-airport, hotel-playing hall-hotel;
- Accreditation;
- Visa support;
- General admission ticket
Registration can be done HERE. The deadline for submitting entries is November 01, 2025. All foreign players and their accompanying persons shall stay only in the official hotels, which can be booked while completing the registration form.
Regulations for 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships:
With exciting formats, strong incentives for top performers, and full global attention, the stage is set in Doha for one of the landmark events of the chess calendar.