Throughout the month of March, the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess once again brings the global chess community together through the Chess Women’s Day Celebration, inviting federations, clubs, academies and organisers worldwide to celebrate women and girls in chess.
Following the inspiring success of last year’s first global celebration, the 2026 edition continues under the theme “Visible, Connected, Worldwide.” The goal is simple yet powerful: to increase the visibility of women and girls in chess, strengthen connections between organisers and communities across continents, and highlight the many initiatives that promote equity and opportunity in the game.
Throughout March, a wide variety of events – tournaments, simultaneous exhibitions, lectures, workshops and community gatherings – take place across the world. Each of them contributes to a shared global effort to celebrate women in chess and inspire new generations of players.
A strong start in Poland
The celebration began before March, with a women’s event in Poland the XV Radzikowska Memorial, one of the strongest and most established women’s chess festivals in Europe.
A highlight of the festival was the exciting Team Poland vs Team World match, where leading Polish players faced invited international stars. Alongside the main match, a rapid tournament for girls and women offered an opportunity for young players to compete and interact with elite players.
The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess partnered with the organisers of the festival, supporting the best performing girls with special prizes and training sessions with top Polish women grandmasters.
Women’s Chess Day and futures tournament at the Prague Chess Festival
March kicked off in a perfect way at the Prague Chess Festival, where the Commission partnered with organisers to support the Futures Tournament, a round-robin event for talented young girls played alongside the prestigious Masters and Challengers sections.
For the participants, this meant experiencing a world-class chess environment and sharing the stage with top players such as Gukesh Dommaraju, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Divya Deshmukh.
This year’s Futures event had a very special ambassador – legendary Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling, who met with the girls and their parents to share insights from her remarkable chess career. She also gave a simultaneous exhibition, creating a memorable moment for everyone involved.
As part of Women’s Chess Day activities, Divya Deshmukh also took on the role of chess instructor, introducing the basics of the game to Czech actress Aňa Geislerová in a relaxed and engaging session.
The Futures tournament was won by Kaja Rzadkowska (Poland), followed by Christina Jordan (Switzerland) in second place and Zuzana Stará (Czech Republic) in third.
A major celebration in Kazakhstan
Another highlight of the global celebrations took place on March 6 with the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2026, organised by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation – a long-standing and highly active partner in promoting chess development and women’s participation in the game.
The event brought together players, organisers and guests in a vibrant festival atmosphere that beautifully celebrated both women and chess. With its elegant setting and engaging programme, the event truly reflected the spirit of the Chess Women’s Day Celebration.
A special role in the organisation and development of women’s chess initiatives in Kazakhstan is played by Gulmira Dauletova, Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and a member of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess. Through her continued work and leadership, numerous initiatives promoting girls’ and women’s participation in chess continue to grow in the country.
Queens’ Online Chess Festival connects players worldwide
One of the largest initiatives of the celebration is the Queens’ Online Chess Festival, organised by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess as part of the Chess4All FIDE WOM project.
Running from March 1–29, 2026 and dedicated to International Women’s Day, the festival is free to join and open to women and girls of all ages and playing levels.
Two parallel competitions are held throughout the month:
- Queens’ Women’s Open Tournament
- Unrated Princesses’ Tournament
The festival began with the African continent on March 1 and immediately showed impressive growth. This year alone, 114 African women players registered, marking the highest participation from the continent in the history of the event.
With players continuing to join from across the world, the festival highlights how online chess can connect communities globally. The Commission also expresses its gratitude to Lichess for providing the playing platform.
Partnerships, dialogue and new initiatives
The celebration also includes cooperation with several international festivals and initiatives working to increase women’s participation in chess.
One of them is the Budapest Spring Festival, where the entry fees for all women players were waived in both groups of the tournament, underlining a shared commitment to making high-level chess more accessible and inclusive.
The festival also hosted a Women’s Chess Roundtable on March 4, creating space for discussion, exchange of ideas and inspiration among women in chess. The roundtable included participation from Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess.
Storytelling and social impact
As part of the March programme, the Commission also cooperates with the FIDE Social Commission in supporting the Storytelling & Impact Content Masterclass, an initiative dedicated to creating meaningful visual storytelling for social and sports initiatives.
The lecture is delivered by award-winning creative director Maxim Kolyshev, a Cannes Lions finalist and winner of more than 150 international awards. In this inspiring session, participants explore how powerful stories are created and how they can build communities and generate real social impact.
Celebrating Women’s Day across continents
On International Women’s Day, a special simultaneous exhibition will take place in Saint-Tropez, organised by the chess club Les Fous de la Vieille Tour.
Participants will have a rare opportunity to face the 12th Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, whose remarkable career has inspired thousands of girls around the world.
Partner events across Africa are also bringing women together through competition and celebration. In Malawi, an invitational women’s round-robin tournament will take place on March 8, while another women’s event is scheduled from March 26–30, demonstrating the country’s continued efforts to promote greater equity and participation in chess.
Further celebrations continue in Congo from March 11–12 and in Zimbabwe from March 13–16, highlighting the growing energy around women’s chess initiatives on the continent.
Another special event will take place on March 19 in Saint Lucia, where “Girls in Chess – Inspiring the Next Generation” will feature a blitz tournament followed by a simultaneous exhibition with Dana Reizniece, along with short presentations and a Q&A session aimed at inspiring young players.
In Hong Kong, Caissa Chess Club will host its Chess Queens Festival on March 14 – a day dedicated to fun, inspiration and empowerment through chess.
In Nepal, the Himalayan Chess Academy is organising the Himalayan Queen’s Gambit tournament on March 15. Following the historic 2025 edition that brought together 142 participants – the largest women-only chess gathering in Nepal’s history – the event returns this year as part of Women’s Month celebrations. The tournament is open exclusively to girls and women and strongly encourages unrated and first-time players to participate.
Another inspiring initiative comes from Adly Chess Academy, which launched the programme “Champ Making a Girl Champ.” Through this project, 20 girls aged 6–10 will receive three months of free chess training, helping them take their first steps in chess while building confidence and leadership skills.
We are proud to cooperate with all the organisers around the world, and grateful for their incredible effort.
Education and opportunities in chess
Educational opportunities are also part of the programme. Later in the month, a free online Arbiter’s Seminar for women will take place from March 27–29, offering participants the chance to deepen their knowledge and take further steps toward becoming certified arbiters.
A truly global celebration
From international festivals to community initiatives, the Chess Women’s Day Celebration continues to grow as a truly global initiative.
Many additional events are planned across the world, including initiatives in Africa, South America and other regions, with further announcements expected throughout the month.
Each event – large or small – contributes to the same shared goal: making women and girls more visible in chess and strengthening a global community that supports and inspires them.
You can follow all the updates from the March Women’s Day Celebrations and our other projects on FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess Instagram account.