Dual Events: Open & Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026
For the first time in Cyprus, two parallel Candidates tournaments will run simultaneously:
- FIDE Open Candidates 2026 – Winner challenges the reigning World Chess Champion.
- FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 – Determines the challenger for the Women’s World Championship.
Both events follow a double round-robin system, ensuring maximum competition among elite grandmasters.
Qualification Pathways for Candidates 2026
Players secure spots through a merit-based system:
- FIDE World Cup 2025 (ongoing in Goa) – Top 3 finishers qualify
- FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025
- FIDE Circuit 2025
- Women’s Grand Prix Series (exclusive to Women’s Candidates)
Gukesh: India’s Rising Star & Defending Candidates Champion
D Gukesh, the youngest-ever Candidates winner in 2024, became the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand (1995) to claim the title.
The 18-year-old prodigy went on to dethrone China’s Ding Liren and is now the reigning World Chess Champion. All eyes will be on Gukesh’s title defense in Cyprus.
Why Cyprus? A New Chapter in Chess History
- First-time host since the tournament’s inception in 1950
- Strategic Mediterranean location
- State-of-the-art venues for elite chess competition
Key Dates & Format Recap
| Event | Dates | Format | Rounds |
| Open & Women’s Candidates 2026 | March 28 – April 16 | Double Round-Robin | 14
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