Almaty to host FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026
Almaty will become the center of university chess August 4–9, 2026. Kazakhstan's largest city will host the final of the first-ever FIDE World University Team Chess Championship, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The tournament features 16 teams of universities, including those with centuries of academic and chess history, such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard. The chess clubs at these universities have existed for over a century and a half. Their teams represent not only leading educational institutions but an entire era in the history of university chess.
The tournament continues Kazakhstan's large-scale cooperation with FIDE.
"Hosting the inaugural FIDE championship of this kind is a great honor and responsibility. The fact that Kazakhstan was chosen reflects the trust the world has in our country. It is also important that university chess builds foundations for cooperation far beyond sport. Those sitting at the board today will be leading companies and state institutions in a decade. Connections made during student years often prove the strongest.
And that is perhaps the most important result – one that won't appear on the tournament table. Almaty is the perfect choice for such a story. It is the country's largest student center, and it knows how to speak the language of young people. We want participants to see not only a well-organized tournament but also a hospitable Kazakhstan. Years from now, some of them will be deciding where to start a project or open a business. It would be good if, at that moment, they remember our country with warmth," emphasized Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
Representatives from universities across North and South America, Europe, and Asia will gather on one platform. Organizers are also working to expand the geographic reach to ensure teams from all continents are represented in the final.
"This championship will bring together universities with outstanding academic and chess histories. 79 teams from 49 countries took part in the qualifying stages. This scale confirms the tournament's high international status and strengthens Kazakhstan's standing as a country capable of hosting world-class intellectual competitions," said Darmen Sadvakassov, First Vice President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
Particular interest surrounds the participation of US universities, known for strong student chess programs. Saint Louis University, Webster University, and the University of Texas at Dallas have repeatedly won major intercollegiate competitions in the United States. Kazakhstan will be represented by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Kazakh National Sports University.
"Kazakhstan is creating conditions for young people to receive high-quality education, develop their capabilities, and achieve high results. Chess fosters strategic thinking, discipline, responsibility, and decision-making skills. For students from our universities, a home world championship is a unique opportunity to gain experience at the highest level and prove that Kazakh youth can compete on an equal footing with representatives of the world's top universities," said Gulmira Dauletova, Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.
The final stage will gather 16 teams: eight qualified through online rounds, and eight receiving special invitations from FIDE and the organizers.
In the first stage, teams will be divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarterfinals, followed by semifinals and medal matches.
Each match will be played on four boards, with each team required to include at least one male and one female player. The total prize fund is €50,000.
In addition to the university championship, Almaty will host another event on August 4–5: Kazakhstan's national chess team will take on a World Under-18 team.
Each match will feature seven players per side: six main players and one reserve. Women's and men's teams will compete in age categories under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18.
A total of 24 young chess players will compete on 12 boards.
The championship will be more than a battle for a world title – it will be a gathering of young intellectual leaders from leading educational centers of various countries. The event will enhance Almaty and Kazakhstan's position on the global chess map and give a new boost to university sports in the country.
Qazinform News Agency previously reported that Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubaeva was shortlisted for the first FIDE Excellence Awards, established by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
