FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026
To those of you at university, we received this today:
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the Organising Committee, we are pleased to inform you about the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026.
This Championship serves as a premier global platform, bringing together leading universities through chess — a discipline deeply associated with strategic excellence, intellectual rigor, and academic distinction. Participation offers students a unique opportunity to compete at the highest international level while representing their institution within an elite and intellectually driven global community.
You are kindly requested to share the information below with major universities in your country.
The Championship will be conducted in three stages:
* Stage I – Online Swiss Qualifiers, to be held on 2 and 9 May 2026
* Stage II – Online Knockout Stage, to be held on 16 and 17 May 2026
* Final Stage – Over-the-Board Finals, to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 3 to 10 August 2026
Important: Kindly note that each National Chess Federation may nominate one university to participate in the event free of charge.
Please find further details in Tournament Regulations https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EnMMkDDEgwkYV5-w89nhpY-BIIEuO4bD
The official webpage and registration process are now open at:
https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com
Should you require any additional information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us worlduniversity@fide.com
We would be truly honoured to welcome universities from your country to this distinguished international event.
Yours sincerely,
FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026
Organising Committee
The registration deadlines are:
27 April 2026 at 11:59 PM UTC for teams participating in Online Swiss Qualifier 1 (2 May),
4 May 2026 at 11:59 PM UTC for teams participating in Online Swiss Qualifier 2 (9 May).
The entry fee is 100 Euros per team, but the NZCF can enter one team (4 boards) for free.
If your university chess club is interested in participating (please read all the regulations and requirements!), please let the NZCF Admin Officer admin@newzealandchess.co.nz know by this coming Thursday the 23rd. Please include the required forms (in the drop box link above).
That will give us a few days to confirm selection if need be, and to finalise any last minute documentation.
Any questions to the NZCF Admin Officer admin@newzealandchess.co.nz