Weissenhaus, February 13, 2026 – The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 was officially launched at Weissenhaus today. Eight of the world’s leading grandmasters begin their campaign for the title under the joint staging of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Freestyle Chess.
The championship places the Freestyle format within the official FIDE World Championship framework and establishes a direct qualification pathway for the next cycle. With the 2026 world title, $300,000 in prize money and three qualification spots for 2027 at stake, the event carries both immediate sporting pressure and long-term consequence. The winner receives $100,000, while the top three finishers qualify directly for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2027.
Structure and legitimacy
In the opening press conference, Freestyle Chess co-founder Jan Henric Buettner described the launch as the culmination of the format’s development alongside FIDE. “We are proud of what we have achieved together,” Buettner said. He noted that the world championship brings together the best possible players and represents a condensed structure in which “each day is extremely important.”
Buettner also addressed the inclusion of the women’s exhibition match, referencing long-standing advocacy from former world-class player and Freestyle Chess commentator Judit Polgar for stronger competitive integration. He confirmed that the winner of the exhibition match will qualify for the future FIDE Women’s Freestyle Chess World Championship, as part of the developing pathway for the women’s cycle.
Carlsen and the stakes of the title
Among the contenders are Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer. Carlsen, who arrives at Weissenhaus after winning the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, described the format as “cutthroat” and said he was “grateful for the opportunity.” Carlsen noted: “It’s not easy to come through for anybody. I hope it’s going to be me.”
Should Carlsen prevail, he would add the Freestyle world title to his record and claim what would be recognized as his 21st world championship title across formats.
Keymer echoed the competitive assessment. “Like Magnus, I will try to win,” he said, while agreeing that the format leaves little margin. “You never know. Magnus has to be the favourite – he wins most top events – but for sure it’s not going to be easy for him.”
FIDE oversight
Representing the federation, FIDE Technical Delegate Pavel Tregubov described Freestyle as “a challenging new format” and said the championship would serve as a test at the highest level. “This is the beginning of a tradition. Let’s see how it develops,” he said.
Tregubov emphasized that FIDE considers the title on par with other official championships. “We value this title like all other championship titles. We take it very seriously,” he stated, calling it “a high-level event.” He added that the federation is determined to develop the format further, noting that earlier editions under a different name had already shown that “the players like it.”
Elite field, demanding format
The three-day tournament opens with a rapid round-robin at 10 minutes plus five seconds increment. The top four advance to the knockout stage. Semi-finals and the Final are played as best-of-four matches at 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment, while matches for fifth and seventh place are best-of-two. If tied, an Armageddon game determines the winner.
For each round, the starting position is drawn at random, with classical position 518 excluded. All simultaneous games begin from the same setup. The format removes established opening theory and demands calculation and adaptability from move one.
Women’s exhibition match
Alongside the main championship, Weissenhaus will host a women’s exhibition match on February 14 and 15 featuring former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk and reigning Women’s World Blitz Champion Bibisara Assaubayeva. The best-of-four match will be played at 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment, with Armageddon if required.
The exhibition is positioned as a precursor to a future FIDE Women’s Freestyle Chess World Championship.
The championship is broadcast globally via digital streaming platforms with live commentary and daily coverage.
Photos: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes and Stev Bonhage
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