US Chess and the Charlotte Chess Center have officially announced that the 2026 North American Junior Chess Championships will take place from December 18 to December 23, 2026.
Hosted at the Hilton Charlotte University Place, this prestigious 9-round Swiss tournament serves as the official Continental Junior Championship of North America, endorsed by the Confederation for Chess in the Americas (CCA).
The tournament is split into two main sections: the Open Under 20 and the Girls Under 20. Eligibility is restricted to players representing Canada, Mexico, or the United States who are under 20 years old as of January 1, 2026 (born in 2006 or later).
Beyond continental glory, the tournament offers massive incentives through direct FIDE titles and international norms awarded to the top three players in each section (determined by tiebreaks). The breakdown of rewards includes:
Open U20 Section:
1st Place (Gold Medalist): Direct International Master (IM) title and a Grandmaster (GM) norm.
Equal First (Silver/Bronze on Tiebreaks): Direct IM title.
Silver & Bronze Medalists: Direct FIDE Master (FM) title and an IM norm.
Girls U20 Section:
1st Place (Gold Medalist): Direct Woman International Master (WIM) title and a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm.
Equal First (Silver/Bronze on Tiebreaks): Direct WIM title.
Silver & Bronze Medalists: Direct Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title and a WIM norm.
Each of the three federations may designate one Official Representative (OR) per section. Additionally, gold medalists from the 2025 edition retain the right to play as official players. Registered ORs will receive free tournament entry and a $200 USD stipend to help reimburse travel expenses upon completion of the event. For the United States, the OR will be chosen based on the highest regular rating from the February 2026 US Chess rating supplement, with a registration and notification deadline set for November 6, 2026.
The main event features a classical time control of 90 minutes for the entire game, with a 30-second increment starting from move one. In addition to the main rounds, the tournament schedule features a side North American Junior Blitz Championship on Monday, December 21, at 11:00 AM.
Online registration is mandatory, with early-bird entry fees set at $165 USD if completed by December 1, increasing to $175 USD after that date. Final online registration closes on December 17. The tournament is both US Chess and FIDE-rated, and active US Chess membership is required for all local competitors.
