FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), with the support of its general partner Freedom Holding Corp., invite all FIDE member federations from Europe to participate in the European Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 (WSTC 2026).
Organized by ISCF and FIDE jointly with the Armenian Chess Federation and the European Chess Union, the event will be held in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, from September 28 (arrival) to October 3 (departure), 2026.
The European Continental Stage will become one of the continental qualifiers of the new World Schools Team Championship cycle held within the framework of the Year of Chess in Education 2026 initiative. The best teams will qualify directly for the WSTC 2026 Grand Final, where the continental champions will compete for the title of FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Champion 2026.
Team composition and eligibility
Each team shall consist of:
- Four main players;
- One reserve player;
- One non-playing captain
Each team must include at least one boy and at least one girl, except in specific cases provided for in the Regulations for single-gender educational institutions.
Players eligible to participate must be born between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2018.
National federations are responsible for confirming that all players are officially enrolled in the educational institution they represent during the 2025–2026 academic year.
The tournament will be played over eight rounds using the Swiss system.
Participation conditions and organizer support
Within the framework of the Championship, selected teams will receive organizer support, including:
- Full-board accommodation;
- Airport and local transfers;
- Four economy-class flight tickets for designated eligible delegations.
Detailed participation conditions are outlined in the official Invitation Letter and General Regulations.
Educational and cultural programme
In addition to the tournament itself, participants and guests will take part in a special educational and cultural programme organized in line with the Year of Chess in Education 2026 initiative. The programme will include:
- Masterclasses and lectures by leading chess players and educators;
- Interactive workshops;
- Side activities promoting educational exchange and intercultural dialogue.
The Championship aims not only to identify the strongest school team on the continent but also to promote chess as a powerful educational and social development tool.
Registration
The registration deadline is August 28.
National federations are kindly encouraged to complete the registration process at the earliest opportunity, as the number of places in the tournament is limited. Organizer support conditions outlined in the Regulations are available only for the first 20 teams fully registered in compliance with the official requirements.
Teams may register only through their respective FIDE member federations using the official online registration form.
Registration form: http://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/registration-stage-europe/
Contact e-mail: worldschoolteam@fide.com
Official website: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/
Invitation letter: http://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/files/WSTC_2026_Invitation_Letter_European_Stage.pdf