The chess world is turning its eyes toward Cyprus, where the 2026 Candidates Chess Tournament will take place from March 28 to April 16.
At the luxurious Cap St Georges Resort, eight elite grandmasters will battle for the opportunity to become the official challenger to the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju.
With a strong field and the controversies that shaped the qualification process, this tournament promises to be one of the most exciting chapters in modern chess history.
General Information
Event: 2026 Candidates Tournament (held concurrently with the Womenโs Candidates).
Purpose: To determine the challenger who will face the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, for the 2026 World Chess Championship title.
Location: Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort, Pegeia, Cyprus.
Dates: March 28 โ April 16, 2026.
Participants (8 Players)
- Fabiano Caruana (2024 FIDE Circuit Winner)
- Anish Giri (2025 FIDE Grand Swiss Winner)
- Matthias Bluebaum (2025 FIDE Grand Swiss Runner-up)
- Javokhir Sindarov (2025 FIDE World Cup Winner)
- Wei Yi (2025 FIDE World Cup Runner-up)
- Andrey Esipenko (2025 FIDE World Cup Third Place)
- R Praggnanandhaa (2025 FIDE Circuit Winner)
- Hikaru Nakamura (Highest Average Rating)
Note: For the first time there is no automatic spot for the runner-up of the previous World Championship (Ding Liren).
Hikaru Nakamura secured his spot via the rating qualification but faced criticism for playing in small local tournaments in the U.S. and Canada to meet the 40-game activity threshold.
In response, FIDE updated the rating system in October 2025, drastically reducing the Elo gains for top players (2650+) when winning against much lower-rated opponents.
Format and Regulations
- System: Double round-robin (14 rounds total); each player faces the others twiceโonce with white and once with black pieces.
- Time Control: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move 41.
- Tie-breaks: If tied for first, players will compete in rapid (15 min + 10s) and, if necessary, blitz games to determine the winner.
- Prize Pool: Minimum total of โฌ700,000. The winner receives โฌ70,000, plus a โฌ5,000 bonus for every half-point earned.
Tournament Schedule
Opening Ceremony: March 28
Round 1: March 29
Rest Days: April 2, 6, 10, and 13
Final Round (14): April 15
Tie-breakers / Closing Ceremony: April 16
