The FIDE Council has issued a formal reminder regarding electoral regulations ahead of the 2026 General Assembly, which will take place at the end of September.
FIDE reminds all federations, officials, and potential candidates that the FIDE elections are set for 26 and 27 September 2026. According to FIDE rules, the official electoral period starts three months before the elections, which in this case would be 26 June 2026.
Candidates are reminded that they should not campaign or promote their candidacy before the official start of the electoral period. The Council notes that, according to the Electoral Rules, election campaigning is only allowed during the electoral period:
Electoral Rules Art. 7 Electoral campaign: 7.1 Electoral campaigning and promotion of candidatures are allowed only to the extent permitted under the Electoral Rules and during the electoral period. The electoral period starts three (3) months before elections. Promotion means any act or action that may enhance the level of awareness of a particular candidature. It includes advertising, campaigns or any organised or planned action for the election of a candidate. Electoral campaigning shall be understood as any activity undertaken by candidates or those acting or working for them with the aim of canvassing votes.
The Council also highlighted rules regarding undue advantage, such as providing money, services, gifts, jobs, debt forgiveness, tickets, hospitality, or similar.
Article 9 clearly outlines sanctioned behaviours:
9.1 Offering, either directly or through an accomplice, any undue advantage to a Member Federation, which is any ascertainable enhancement in the beneficiary’s situation, legal or economical, is a prohibited practice. An undue advantage shall mean anything of more than nominal value in any form, including in particular but not limited to a payment, a benefit in kind, money, property, a service, a loan, forbearance or forgiveness of indebtedness, promise of future, employment or promotion, a favour, gratuity, honoraria, tickets or passes to an entertainment, social or sporting event, without consideration of equal or greater value in return. Advantages are not undue if they are of minor value in conformity with social customs. Thus, the following are excluded from the definition of undue advantage: complimentary attendance, including food and beverage, at charitable or campaign events, complimentary attendance, food and beverage offered by the sponsor of a widely attended event, awards, plaques, and other ceremonial items customarily presented in recognition of service in chess or within FIDE, promotional items having no substantial resale value, gifts from a family or household member, food and/or beverage of limited value, chess materials distributed freely to all Member Federations and to the members of their delegations.
Article 9.9 notes that Candidates should refrain from campaigning before the official electoral period starts, in full respect of the Electoral Rules. Certain customary items of nominal value, such as limited hospitality or low-value promotional materials, may be permissible under the Electoral Rules.
FIDE Electoral Rules and the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Code provide for substantial penalties for violations of the aforementioned rules.
FIDE will monitor compliance with these regulations under the Ethics and Disciplinary Code. Violations may result in immediate proceedings before the FIDE Ethics and Electoral Commissions.
The Council noted that these rules are in place to ensure a fair and transparent election process for all member federations.