The Kazakhstan Chess Federation is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives (FACI) 2026.
FACI is an international project implemented by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation with the support of Freedom Holding Corp., in partnership with FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF). The Project aims to support the sustainable development of chess by strengthening national chess federations, developing chess education, and promoting international cooperation.
In 2025, the FACI Project supported seven national chess federations: Oman, Cambodia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Jordan, and Pakistan. Participating countries achieved strong results, including prize-winning places at international tournaments. Selected countries also received grants to take part in the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships in Almaty, providing young players the opportunity to compete at the highest level. A key focus of the FACI Project is the organization of training camps for national teams, conducted with the participation of Kazakhstan’s leading coaches.
National chess federations interested in participating in FACI 2026 are invited to submit their applications via the official website: faci.kazchess.kz/.
Deadline: January 12, 2026, 12:00 PM Astana time (UTC+5). All applications will be processed in accordance with the FACI Project Regulations. The results of the selection process will be announced in early February 2026.
Federations that participated in 2025 are invited to submit a new application to be considered for support in 2026. Decisions will be made by the FACI Working Group and the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
Please carefully review the FACI Project Regulations posted on the official website: faci.kazchess.kz/
For more detailed information about the FACI Project, you can watch our video.