Women's Candidates Tournament 2026
| Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort |
| Location | Pegeia, Cyprus |
| Dates | 28 March – 16 April 2026 |
| Competitors | 8 |
The FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 will be an eight-player chess tournament that will determine the challenger for the Women's World Chess Championship 2026. The tournament will take place at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus, between 28 March and 16 April 2026. It will be held alongside the Candidates Tournament 2026.[1][2]
It will be a double round-robin tournament. The winner of the tournament will earn the right to play the Women's World Chess Championship 2026 against the reigning Women's World Chess Champion Ju Wenjun.
Qualification
The eight players to qualify will be:[3]
| Qualification method | Player | Age | Rating | World ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (March 2026) | ||||
| The top two finishers in the FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2024–25 | Zhu Jiner (winner) | 23 | 2578 | 2 |
| Aleksandra Goryachkina (runner-up) | 27 | 2534 | 7 | |
| The top three finishers in the Women's Chess World Cup 2025 | Divya Deshmukh (winner) | 20 | 2497 | 12 |
| Koneru Humpy (runner-up) | 38 | 2535 | 5 | |
| Tan Zhongyi (third place) | 34 | 2535 | 6 | |
| The top two finishers in the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss Tournament 2025 | Vaishali Rameshbabu (winner) | 24 | 2470 | 18 |
| Kateryna Lagno (runner-up) | 36 | 2508 | 10 | |
| Highest place in the FIDE Women's Events 2024–25 not already qualified[a] | Bibisara Assaubayeva | 22 | 2516 | 9 |
FIDE Women's Events 2024–25
In conjunction with the Open Candidates Tournament 2026, the runner-up of the previous championship match no longer automatically qualifies, unlike any previous Women's Candidates Tournament. Instead, the 2025 match is part of the FIDE Women's Events 2024–25, a new qualification path which is a circuit that includes the 2024 and 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships, the Grand Prix series, the World Cup and the Grand Swiss.[4] A player's score is the sum of her highest scores in up to 5 qualifying events.[5]
- : Qualified for Women's Candidates Tournament 2026
- : Current World Champion – ineligible for Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 qualification
- : Player qualified for Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 via another path
- : Player ineligible for Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 qualification
The table is collapsed by default and can be sorted on any column.
| No. | Player | Points | Events | World Rapid 2024 | World Blitz 2024 | World Champ | Grand Prix | World Cup | Grand Swiss | World Rapid 2025 | World Blitz 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koneru Humpy | 280.00 | 4 | 1st 84.00 |
N/a | N/a | 4th 60.00 |
2nd 80.00 |
N/a | T 2nd-3rd 56.00 |
N/a |
| 2 | Tan Zhongyi | 216.10 | 5 | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
N/a | 2nd 25.00 |
5th 40.00 |
3rd 50.00 |
T 3rd-5th 60.00 |
T 7th-14th 2.60 |
N/a |
| 3 | Zhu Jiner | 214.00 | 4 | N/a | T 5th-8th 8.00 |
N/a | 1st 120.00 |
N/a | N/a | 2nd 70.00 |
T 3rd-4th 16.00 |
| 4 | Aleksandra Goryachkina | 185.78 | 3 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 2nd 100.00 |
N/a | N/a | 1st 84.00 |
T 7th-15th 1.78 |
| 5 | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 176.30 | 4 | N/a | T 3rd-4th 16.00 |
N/a | N/a | T 5th-8th 20.00 |
T 1st-2nd 110.00 |
T 4th-6th 30.30 |
N/a |
| 6 | Kateryna Lagno | 167.10 | 4 | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
T 3rd-4th 16.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | T 1st-2nd 110.00 |
T 7th-14th 2.60 |
N/a |
| 7 | Bibisara Assaubayeva | 147.40 | 5 | T 8th-12th 1.40 |
T 5th-8th 8.00 |
N/a | 6th 30.00 |
N/a | T 3rd-5th 60.00 |
N/a | 1st 48.00 |
| 8 | Divya Deshmukh | 142.60 | 3 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 7th 20.00 |
1st 120.00 |
N/a | T 7th-14th 2.60 |
N/a |
| 9 | Anna Muzychuk | 114.60 | 3 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 3rd 80.00 |
N/a | N/a | T 7th-14th 2.60 |
2nd 32.00 |
| 10 | Ju Wenjun | 86.50 | 2[b] | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
1st 48.00 |
1st 0.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
| 11 | 81.78 | 3 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 5th-8th 20.00 |
T 3rd-5th 60.00 |
N/a | T 7th-15th 1.78 | |
| 12 | Lei Tingjie | 64.60 | 3 | N/a | 2nd 32.00 |
N/a | N/a | 4th 30.00 |
N/a | T 7th-14th 2.60 |
N/a |
| 13 | Harika Dronavalli | 58.50 | 2 | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | T 5th-8th 20.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a |
| 14 | Afruza Khamdamova | 38.50 | 1 | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
| Alexandra Kosteniuk | 41.10 | 2 | T 2nd-7th 38.50 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 7th-14th 2.60 |
N/a | |
| 16 | Savitha Shri Baskar | 30.30 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 4th-6th 30.30 |
N/a |
| Ekaterina Atalik | 30.30 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 4th-6th 30.30 |
N/a | |
| 18 | Mariya Muzychuk | 26.40 | 3 | T 8th-12th 1.40 |
N/a | N/a | T 8th-9th 5.00 |
N/a | T 6th-8th 20.00 |
N/a | N/a |
| 19 | 25.00 | 2 | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 8th-9th 5.00 |
T 5th-8th 20.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | |
| 20 | Irina Krush | 20.00 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 6th-8th 20.00 |
N/a | N/a |
| Ulviyya Fataliyeva | 20.00 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 6th-8th 20.00 |
N/a | N/a | |
| 22 | Valentina Gunina | 16.00 | 1 | N/a | T 5th-8th 8.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 5th 8.00 |
| Eline Roebers | 16.00 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | T 3rd-4th 16.00 | |
| 24 | Carissa Yip | 8.00 | 1 | N/a | T 5th-8th 8.00 |
N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a |
| Antoaneta Stefanova | 8.00 | 1 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 6th 8.00 |
Organization
The tournament will be an eight-player, double round-robin tournament, meaning there will be 14 rounds with each player facing each of the others twice: once with the white pieces and once with the black pieces. The tournament winner will qualify to play Ju Wenjun for the World Championship in 2026.
Regulations
The time control will be 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move 1. Players will get 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
Tiebreaks for the first place will be addressed as follows:[2]
- If two players are tied, they will play two rapid chess games at 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move. If a three- to six-way tie occurs, a single round-robin will be played. If seven or eight players are tied, a single round-robin will be played with a time limit of 10 minutes plus 5 seconds per move.
- If any players are tied for first after the rapid chess games, they will play two blitz chess games at 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. In the case of more than two players being tied, a single round-robin will be played.
- If any players are still tied for first after these blitz chess games, the remaining players will play a knock-out blitz tournament at the same time control. In each mini-match of the proposed knock-out tournament, the first player to win a game will win the mini-match, or if there are two draws then an armageddon game will decide the match winner.
Ties for places other than first will be broken by, in order: (1) Sonneborn–Berger score; (2) total number of wins; (3) head-to-head score among tied players; (4) drawing of lots.
Schedule
| Date | Day | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 28 March 2026 | Saturday | Opening Ceremony |
| Media Day | ||
| Technical Meeting | ||
| 29 March 2026 | Sunday | Round 1 |
| 30 March 2026 | Monday | Round 2 |
| 31 March 2026 | Tuesday | Round 3 |
| 1 April 2026 | Wednesday | Round 4 |
| 2 April 2026 | Thursday | Rest Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Round 5 |
| 4 April 2026 | Saturday | Round 6 |
| 5 April 2026 | Sunday | Round 7 |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Rest Day |
| 7 April 2026 | Tuesday | Round 8 |
| 8 April 2026 | Wednesday | Round 9 |
| 9 April 2026 | Thursday | Round 10 |
| 10 April 2026 | Friday | Rest Day |
| 11 April 2026 | Saturday | Round 11 |
| 12 April 2026 | Sunday | Round 12 |
| 13 April 2026 | Monday | Rest Day |
| 14 April 2026 | Tuesday | Round 13 |
| 15 April 2026 | Wednesday | Round 14 |
| 16 April 2026 | Thursday | Tie-breakers (if required) |
| Closing Ceremony |
Pairings
In February 2026, FIDE announced pairings for the tournament.[6]
| Round 1 (29 March 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Divya Deshmukh | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Round 2 (30 March 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Round 3 (31 March 2026) | |||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Round 4 (1 April 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Round 5 (3 April 2026) | |||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Round 6 (4 April 2026) | |||
| Zhu Jiner | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Round 7 (5 April 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Round 8 (7 April 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Koneru Humpy | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Round 9 (8 April 2026) | |||
| Tan Zhongyi | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Round 10 (9 April 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Round 11 (11 April 2026) | |||
| Kateryna Lagno | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Round 12 (12 April 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Round 13 (14 April 2026) | |||
| Bibisara Assaubayeva | Koneru Humpy | ||
| Kateryna Lagno | Divya Deshmukh | ||
| Tan Zhongyi | Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
| Zhu Jiner | Aleksandra Goryachkina | ||
| Round 14 (15 April 2026) | |||
| Koneru Humpy | Zhu Jiner | ||
| Aleksandra Goryachkina | Tan Zhongyi | ||
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Kateryna Lagno | ||
| Divya Deshmukh | Bibisara Assaubayeva | ||
See also
References
- ^ "Mediterranean Stage Set for Chess History: The 2026 FIDE Candidates Come to Cyprus". FIDE. 10 November 2025. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Regulations for the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026" (PDF). FIDE. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ "FIDE WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CYCLE 2025-2026". FIDE. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Qualification paths for FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 finalized". FIDE. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ a b "FIDE WOMEN'S EVENTS 2024-2025". FIDE. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ^ "FIDE Candidates 2026 pairings drawn in Cyprus". FIDE. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
Notes
- ^ Koneru Humpy finished first in the 2024–2025 FIDE Women's Events circuit, but had already qualified for the Candidates through a second place finish at the Women's Chess World Cup 2025. As a result, the qualifying spot was awarded to the highest finisher of the FIDE Women's Events circuit who had not already qualified for the event (Bibisara Assaubayeva).
- ^ Does not include the World Championship match that awarded Ju zero points.