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2026 Olympiad Squads – Selection process now open

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Introduction

The 2026 Olympiad will be in Uzbekistan. Dates have not been confirmed but are typically in the second half of the year.

Following the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai, recommendations by the 2022 Head of Delegation and Team Captains as to a model for 2023 and 2024 leading into the 2024 Olympiad were adopted by the Council. Following the success at the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest, Council has agreed to a similar model incorporating refinements based on experience and feedback.

Olympiad Squads

The NZCF will select open and women’s squads of 10-12 players in each who will receive monthly coaching sessions x 4 (September to December) with their respective Olympiad coaches, dates and times to be arranged once the squads are selected.

Process

Applications will open 16 June 2025 and close 7 July 2025 and be made via this online form: https://forms.office.com/r/hgkDbfSaCc

The convenor of selectors will convene a selection panel for each squad. Once applications have closed, a spreadsheet will be provided with applicants by squad with relevant information as collected in the form. Anyone ineligible will not be considered (see criteria below). Selections will be made according to similar criteria as Olympiad teams as set out in the selection policy.

Once complete, selections will be notified to the NZCF Council, the Head of Delegation, Coaches and Directors of Training (NB: applicants/family of applicants will not be notified here, they will be notified as applicants). The NZCF Secretary will then advise applicants of their individual outcomes, including appeal rights and that selections are confidential and not final until appeals are concluded.

Unsuccessful applicants will have 7 calendar days to appeal by emailing their appeal to the NZCF Secretary. Appeals will be heard by Council through an appeals subcommittee, if required. The appeals subcommittee will be convened by Vice-President Paul Spiller and include selector Councillors who are not also on a selection panel.

Once appeals are concluded, the NZCF Secretary will confirm all selection outcomes and publish online and by email to clubs. An initial squad meeting will be convened to arrange training etc. and training will commence after that.

Minimum Criteria

Open: Minimum standard elo rating of 2100 in either the most recent FIDE rating list as at 1 July 2025 or NZCF rating list as at 1 April 2025 or 1 July 2025 if published.

Women: Minimum standard elo rating of 1700 in either the most recent FIDE rating list as at 1 July 2025 or NZCF rating list as at 1 April 2025 or 1 July 2025 if published. Gender must be registered with NZCF/FIDE as F (female).

Both squads:

  • Minimum 30% juniors (born on or after 1/1/2005)
  • All players must be eligible to play for New Zealand i.e. registered with FIDE as NZL or, if not registered with FIDE as NZL, meet the criteria and be willing to transfer to NZL if registered with another federation, including paying any transfer fees. To be registered with FIDE as NZL, it is a requirement to be an NZ citizen or residing in NZ as the holder of a residence class visa as defined by NZ’s immigration legislation (if transferring to NZL, FIDE will ask for proof of address).

Squad and Squad Member Expectations

Squad members (and applicants where applicable from context) will:

  • Keep selection outcomes confidential until after formal announcements by the NZCF
  • Accept selection decisions and appeal decisions as final
  • Apply for the 2026 Olympiad team (applications will open shortly after Congress), and go if selected
  • Follow any codes of conduct and accept any reasonable consequences for breaches
  • Play in at least 1 NZCF standard tournament (strong preference that this is the 2026 NZ Championship), and 1 other open standard tournament, and maintain regular other activity e.g. club chess, regularly play in other opens etc. Equivalent or better overseas events would also be acceptable.
  • Attend squad meetings and arranged training and complete assigned work
  • Play in arranged games e.g. practice matches, tournaments etc.

Failure to meet these expectations may result in warnings or removal from the squad and/or not being considered for the Olympiad teams or future squads for a reasonable period of time.

Timeline

  • Applications open for 3 weeks from Monday 16 June – Sunday 7 July.
  • Selections completed by end of July or 1st week of August
  • Appeals period (7 calendar days to appeal + time for Council to consider any appeals)
  • After appeals, if any, are concluded, public announcements
  • Coaches, HoD and directors of training commence training programme

This post also available to download: https://newzealandchess.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Olympiad-2026-Squads.pdf

Any queries to the NZCF President, Craig Hall, president@newzealandchess.co.nz