The 5th FIDE Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners will be held October 14–16, 2025, bringing together incarcerated players from around the world in a unique celebration of the rehabilitative power of chess. Organized as part of FIDE’s Chess for Freedom program, this annual event highlights the role of chess in education, inclusion, and reintegration.
This year’s championship sets a new record with 135 teams representing 57 countries, including 89 men’s teams, 26 women’s teams, and 20 youth teams. Six countries — Eswatini, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Lesotho, Poland, and Aruba — are making their debut, further expanding the global scope of the initiative.
Examples from new participants show the impact of chess behind bars. In Guyana, the Prison Service launched a training and development program at Lusignan Prison with the support of FM Anthony Drayton and the Guyana Chess Federation. Donated chess sets are helping extend the program across the country’s correctional facilities, giving participants valuable skills in problem-solving and critical thinking.
In Aruba, the national federation’s Chess for Freedom program recently inspired incarcerated individuals through competition, focus, and creativity, demonstrating that chess can serve as a tool for empowerment and unity.
The championship will be played on Chess.com with a time control of 10 minutes + 5 seconds increment. The round-robin stage and the finals will be broadcast live on the FIDE YouTube channel, featuring guest appearances from chess officials, prison authorities, coaches, and correctional officers sharing their experiences of teaching chess in prisons.
Now in its fifth edition, the Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners has become one of the flagships of FIDE Social Year activities. Alongside annual conferences and expanding national programs, growing research continues to confirm the positive outcomes of teaching chess in correctional settings — from improving concentration and discipline to strengthening social inclusion and rehabilitation prospects.
With record participation, inspiring stories, and a truly global reach, the 2025 Championship promises to once again showcase the unifying power of chess — proving that the 64 squares can change lives, no matter the circumstances.