The African Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 officially got underway today at the Coetzenburg Center in Stellenbosch, South Africa, marking the first time the event has been held on African soil.
The second qualifying stage of the 2026 cycle, following the Asian Continental Stage in Almaty this April, brings together 26 school teams from 22 countries, all competing for a place in the Grand Final at the end of the year. Held during the Year of Chess in Education, with the support of Freedom Holding Corp., the championship places as much emphasis on what chess teaches as on who wins.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich reflected on how the cycle has grown: “When we started the World Schools Team Championships a couple of years ago, we were experimenting a bit, thinking how to do it in a proper way to involve more and more schools, more and more countries. Now we are confident that in the end we’ll have more than 100 countries competing, which is exciting. And it’s going to be five different countries, five different hosts, so that improves the capacity of local federations to move chess forward.”
Format
Each team fields four main players and one reserve, with both boys and girls represented. At the top of the starting rankings is Uganda’s Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School, followed by Nigeria’s Platform School in second place and Tunisia’s representatives in third. The host country, South Africa, is represented by three schools, led by Welgemoed Primary School.
The team aspect of the event has shown a true camaraderie from the players, each supporting their own. ISCF President Timur Turlov remarked on the benefits of this format: “I think it’s very human to team up, and only as a community can we build some great things. All the big institutions, all the big enterprises, are always teams of people. And if you have a strong team, that usually means that you can achieve very great results, build something really great, and create something very special. That’s why I think it’s important to develop communities. If not just one person is great, if the whole team is great, if the whole school is great, that creates much better opportunities for development. Because you can rely on your team players, and altogether you can create something really unique.”
The tournament follows an eight-round Swiss system, with two rounds played each day and a time control of 45 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move from move one. The short-classical format produced plenty of quick finishes, although in both rounds several games continued deep into the session as players made full use of their time.
Notably, the majority of the participants, 91 of them to be exact, are unrated and competing on an international stage for the first time in their lives. That may sound like a lot of pressure, but the atmosphere remained lively throughout the day, and the students appeared eager to return for their next game.
Here is a closer look at the day’s activities.
An opening ceremony with a difference
The tournament opened at 10:00 with a ceremony that “set protocol aside.” Following introductory remarks, the South African national anthem, and the FIDE anthem, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, ISCF President Timur Turlov, African Chess Confederation President Tshepiso Lopang, and Chess South Africa President Andre Lewaks took the stage, but not to deliver speeches.
Instead, each official read letters written by young players at the previous stages in Almaty and Washington, answering one question: “What would you say to your fellow players if you were standing on the opening ceremony stage?”
Their words about mistakes and victories, friendship without borders, dreams, and a big and open world captured the spirit of the championship better than any formal speech could. The heartfelt messages captivated the audience.
Here are some of the most memorable answers:
“If you lose, it is okay to feel sad for a little while. But not for too long. Then it is better to look through the game and pretend that learning something was your plan all along.”
“Don’t be afraid if you and your opponent don’t speak the same language. In chess, you can understand each other without words – after the first move!”
“May each of you have a big chess dream. For example, to become a world champion. Make smart moves! In the game and … in life too!”
“I hope that at this championship you look not only at the board but also around you. Because the world is truly big, and it is wonderful to see it while playing.”
Following a group photo under the event’s motto, WE LOVE CHESS, and a dance performance by the Stars of Tomorrow group, President Arkady Dvorkovich officially declared the African Continental Stage open.
The ceremony also recognised the essential support of the Freedom Group of companies, whose partnership made the event possible and continues to strengthen chess education and development programmes worldwide.
The ceremony set the tone for the day of chess ahead, with smiles and good spirits all around. The players then made their way to the boards for the first round, which began at 11:30. First moves were made by young chess stars – Sophia Smith (8 years old), representing Beaumont Primary School, and Theeran Varadharajan (4 years old), from Alex Blaikie Montessori School.
Rounds 1 and 2
The first round produced no major upsets, although several matches ended in draws. There were also a few 4-0 clean sweeps, always an ideal way to begin a team event. Round two followed a similar pattern, although more matches were closely contested.
Four teams ended the day with victories in both rounds, and the competition is expected to intensify tomorrow as more evenly matched teams face one another. It should also be noted that the early standings may not yet provide a true indication of strength, given the large number of unrated players who could easily be underestimated.
Standings after Round 2
The appeal of the World Schools Team Championship lies not only in the games and the stakes of winning. ISCF has also planned a wide range of side events and programmes to engage both the young players and the local community. Today’s schedule included social outreach, a book talk, and numerous fun and entertaining activities.
Chess reaches beyond the tournament hall
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to the championship’s social outreach programme.The official delegation, including Arkady Dvorkovich, Timur Turlov, Stellenbosch Executive Mayor Jeremy Fasser, Andre Lewaks, and presidents of national chess federations from across Africa, made the short trip to the historic Paul Roos Gymnasium, where 50 learners from three local schools were waiting at the chessboards.
The delegates took to the stage to address the children. Although the setting was formal, the remarks were directed warmly towards the young audience. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich began by asking, “Who in the audience has lost a chess game?” The question was met with raised hands and laughter. He went on to speak about the connection between chess, life, and learning from defeat:
“Chess helped me to acquire skills that are good for day-to-day life. Memory, strategy, thinking about the opponent, but most importantly, that it’s just you and the board. No one can help you; you are responsible for each move and everything that will happen from that move. That is what life is about: we make our moves and we are responsible for them.”
Questions were then opened to the audience and ranged from which aspect of chess the officials loved most to who their favourite player was.
Each school received a certificate and chess equipment to support its chess programme, while every child went home with a gift. Once the formalities had ended, the VIP guests and federation presidents stood across the boards from the young players for a friendly chess session before everyone gathered outside for a group photo. The visit reflected the central aim of the Year of Chess in Education: bringing the game, and everything it teaches, to more children across the continent.
The educational programme also opened today at the Lectorium of Stellenbosch University, where Dr. Lyndon Bouah, a former South African Chess Olympian, national team captain, and author of 14 books on chess history, presented “South Africa at the Chess Olympiads (1958–2022)” and launched his newest book, Namaste: India 2022, on South Africa’s run at the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai. Dr. Lyndon Bouah has been a pillar of South African chess for many years, and his talk offered valuable insight into the host nation’s chess history and culture.
The fun did not stop when the clocks did. After the round, players poured into the entertainment zone, where PS5 consoles, air hockey, foosball, table tennis, cornhole, giant chess, and giant Jenga kept the competitive spirit alive in a far more relaxed setting.
Those looking for a souvenir joined the badge-making workshop; an illusion show added a touch of magic to the evening, and the day wound down with a disco and photo session, showing that even the fiercest rivals on the board can dance to the same beat off it.
The competition continues tomorrow at the Coetzenburg Center, with Round 3 beginning at 11:00. The champions will be crowned on July 10, while the top teams will secure their places in the Grand Final in December.
Written by Charlize van Zyl
Photos: ISCF