Magnus Carlsen (Norway) is the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Champion. A draw in the fourth and final game against Fabiano Caruana (USA) was enough to seal a 2.5–1.5 match victory in Weissenhaus, Germany.
The decisive moment came in game three. Carlsen won from a dead lost position, turning the match in his favor. Entering the final game, he needed only a draw and achieved it in an equal endgame after Caruana missed late chances to mount a comeback. Both finalists qualified for the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.
The 2026 tournament marks the first official FIDE-recognized Freestyle Chess World Championship. World number one Carlsen had previously attempted to win the FIDE Fischer Random World Championship without success. In Weissenhaus, he secured the official FIDE Freestyle Chess title – his 21st world title across formats.
In the match for third place, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) defeated Vincent Keymer (Germany). Abdusattorov secured the match by drawing a winning position in the final game, also ensuring qualification for the 2027 championship.
Hans Niemann (USA) took fifth place with a 2–0 victory over Arjun Erigaisi (India), while Levon Aronian (USA) won his Armageddon against Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) to take seventh place.
In the women’s exhibition match, Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) prevailed over Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland) after winning the third game and drawing the fourth.
Key facts:
- Location: Weissenhaus, Germany
- Dates: February 13–15, 2026
- Prize fund: $300,000
- Winner’s prize: $100,000
- Top three qualify for 2027
A full report is available [HERE].
Written by Till Behrend
Photos: Lennart Ootes and Steve Bonhage / Freestyle Chess
Official website: https://www.freestyle-chess.com/