Big changes to the Chess World Cup! FIDE approves new format for open and women’s events from 2027 | Chess News
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has approved major changes to the World Cup and Women’s World Cup formats from 2027, aiming to make the events shorter, more inclusive and more rewarding for chess players.The biggest change is that both events will last 19 days instead of 27 days. Players will not advance directly to the knockout rounds, but will first participate in the qualifying stage of the Swiss system before the traditional knockout rounds begin. At the beginning, players will be divided into different Swiss pools, and everyone can play multiple games. The revised format begins with Swiss-style qualifiers, using a 45-minute time clock with 30-second increments for each move. The top performers from each pool will then advance to the 16-player knockout stage, which will continue the familiar time-controlled format.FIDE has also expanded the size of two events. The number of participants in the Open World Cup will increase from 206 to 224, and the number of participants in the Women’s World Cup will increase from 103 to 128.New qualification routes have also been introduced. In addition to continental qualifications, players can now qualify through the FIDE Grand Suisse, FIDE Tour, and World Chess Championships and become the highest-rated senior players. Continental representation has also been improved, with more qualifying places available for each region.
Bigger prizes, shorter tournaments
FIDE will increase the total prize money for both events from US$2.67 million in 2025 to US$3.3 million in 2027. Prize money will continue to be distributed to each participant, with lower-ranked players receiving higher prizes than before, while winners’ prizes remain unchanged.Explaining the changes, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said: “The new format has been designed to preserve the unique identity of the FIDE World Cup while adapting to the changing needs of modern chess. We believe the combination of Swiss qualifying and knockout rounds will provide a more engaging experience for players and fans. “Also read: India welcomes its 98th general manager! Both parents are chess coaches, 10th board exams put on hold: The making of Aswath SHe added: “At the same time, we are making the FIDE World Cup more inclusive than ever before…With these changes, the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup will remain one of the most watched competitions in chess, while continuing to serve as key gateways for players from around the world into the world championship cycle.”
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