Cyprus Times

Cyprus to Host the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026

Published March 26, 2026, 14:09
Cyprus to Host the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026

Cyprus will host the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament, considered the most important and demanding event for determining the world chess champion. The tournament will take place at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Paphos from March 28th to April 16th. The matches will be broadcast live via the hotel's website, starting on March 29th. The tournament will feature top chess players from around the world, divided into two categories: Open FIDE Candidates and FIDE Women’s Candidates. Participants include Javokhir Sindarov, Andrey Esipenko, Matthias Bluebaum, Wei Yi, R. Praggnanandhaa, Anish Giri, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Divya Deshmukh, Anna Muzychuk, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno, Zhu Jiner, and Tan Zhongyi. Alongside the tournament, a Fan Zone will operate at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, offering chess enthusiasts the opportunity to meet the players, attend masterclasses, lectures, and simultaneous games. Distinguished chess personalities such as Viswanathan Anand, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Nigel Short, Boris Gelfand, and Victor Bologan will also make appearances. The Fan Zone will offer activities for all ages, from children's sessions to presentations on strategy, mathematics, and technology, making it a vibrant hub for the chess community. The full Fan Zone schedule is available at https://candidates2026.fide.com/fanzone.