4/15/2024 – Continuing its global journey from the Indian subcontinent to Africa and Europe, the FIDE100 Torch Relay, commemorating a century of FIDE, has now reached the shores of North America. The ceremony was held on April 13, at the Nathan Phillips square in the center of Toronto, not far from the Great Hall where the strongest men and women players in the world are fighting in the Candidates tournament.

4/1/2024 – FIDE published an updated world ranking list on 1 April. The climber of the month is undoubtedly Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won the Masters at the Chess Festival in Prague and is now fourth in the world rankings after having gained 15 rating points. Also, joining the top ten is Arjun Erigaisi in ninth place, who earned 8 rating points in March, in Shenzhen and in the Bundesliga.

3/17/2024 – The FIDE Education Commission is pleased to announce its new initiative: the launch of the FIDE Chess School Award. The award is established to enhance the quality and position of chess in the primary and secondary education systems around the world. FIDE’s wish to provide recognition and motivation for existing Chess in Education activities and programs in schools through a certification process.

3/10/2024 – The Swiss Queens Wednesday Series, launched in partnership with the International Chess Federation (FIDE), is an initiative aimed at boosting women’s participation in chess. With tournaments every Wednesday, the series has attracted some of the strongest players from around the world. Five editions were played in February, with Martha Fierro, Valentina Gunina, Anastasia Bodnaruk, Gunay Mammadzada and Polina Shuvalova emerging victorious in each of them.

3/1/2024 – With the top players mainly playing online and freestyle, there has been little change at the top of the rankings. Magnus Carlsen, the current World Champion in Rapid and Blitz, is still the world number one, as he has been since July 2011. Fabiano Caruana follows in second place and is the only other player besides Carlsen with a rating of 2800+.

1/28/2024 – FIDE has introduced a series of changes to the qualification paths that will be in effect for the Candidates Tournament in 2026. Most notably, the runner-up from the World Championship match no longer automatically qualifies for the Candidates. The alterations are aimed at enhancing the competitive landscape, encouraging player participation, and ensuring a fair representation of the top contenders.

1/4/2024 – FIDE has launched a new top tournament for young chess players, the "World Cup for Youngsters". 48 children each in the U8, U10 and U12 age groups will play a preliminary round and then in a knockout system. The tournament takes place in June/July in Batumi, Georgia. | Photo: Uwe Brodrecht (FIDE)

1/3/2024 – Early in 2023, the Qualifications Commission (QC) initiated a review of the FIDE rating regulations, inviting federations, officials and the public to contribute their thoughts and suggestions. The review was prompted by feedback from professional players and FIDE officials, highlighting a rating deflation resulting from prior changes in the rating system.

1/3/2024 – With the publication of FIDE's January rating list, the participants in the Candidates Tournaments in April have been practically finalised. Alireza Firouzja and Humyp Koneru qualify thanks to their ratings while Magnus Carlsen is formally qualified, but has already stated that he does not wish to play.

12/19/2023 – FIDE has issued a statement in response to the last-minute series of matches in Chartres, France, which began on Monday 18th December and in which Alireza Firouzja is playing three much weaker opponents in an attempt to gain the necessary Elo points that would secure him a place in the 2024 Candidates Tournament.

12/18/2023 – There are still two places available in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. One of these places will go to the player with the highest Elo rating in the January 2024 world rankings who has not yet qualified for the Candidates Tournament. A tournament was therefore organised at short notice in Chennai, India, to give Erigaisi and Gukesh a better chance to qualify. Leinier Dominguez tried his luck at the Sunway Sitges Open, while Alireza Firouzja now suddenly has a chance to gain Elo in a series of matches in France.

12/13/2023 – The FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) has deliberated on Magnus Carlsen's withdrawal from the Sinquefield Cup following his defeat to Hans Niemann in September 2022 and has now reached a verdict. Carlsen has been fined 10,000 euros for his unjustified withdrawal. | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Center

12/5/2023 – David Hater, FIDE delegate of the US Chess Federation, has written an open letter to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich on behalf of the USCF, complaining that imprecise FIDE rules for qualifying for the FIDE Circuit Candidates Tournament and for rating have caused confusion among players. FIDE had changed the rules at short notice.

12/4/2023 – For its December list FIDE has not yet rated the tournaments in St. Louis and Zagreb, so Alireza Firouzja's rating loss is still quite moderate. The 30 Elo-points Hans Niemann gained in the Tournament of Peace in Zagreb do not appear in the list either. But Carlsen remains the clear number one.

12/1/2023 – The International Chess Federation released the inaugural Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI), an innovative instrument designed to measure and compare the level of gender equality in chess federations across the globe. The GECI incorporates three indicators of Participation, Performance, and Progress to offer an all-encompassing view of gender parity in chess. This index introduces a comprehensive scoring system ranging from 0 to 100.

10/28/2023 – The first part of the "Never Ending Saga of Moroccan Chess" described the dubious practices of Moustapha Amazzal, the President of the Moroccan Chess Federation. The second part describes how FIDE renewed its trust in Mr Amazzal and why Lithuanian GM Paulius Pultinevicius and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and other prizewinners of the 4th International Prix Mohammed VI tournament that took place in August 2023 are still waiting for their prize money. | Photo: Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca | Source: Brochure of the 4. International Prix Mohammed VI tournament brochure

10/24/2023 – The World Chess Federation has expanded the Women's Grand Prix series for the upcoming 2024-25 cycle. Instead of 16 players, there will now be 20. The number of tournaments has been increased from four to six, with ten players per tournament. The prize money has also been increased.

9/26/2023 – In 2024, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) will celebrate its centenary. As part of the celebrations throughout the year 2024, FIDE is planning numerous activities, including chess festivals, exhibitions displaying historical archives, documents and chess memorabilia. Organizers and federations are encouraged to plan their regular and special events using the hashtag #FIDE100.

8/21/2023 – In a move that is sure to cause a significant stir, FIDE announced that it would be setting restrictions on transgenders participating in official FIDE Women events, specifying that any such restrictions pertain exclusively to man to women transgenders. These regulations come into effect on August 21. See the statement and share your thoughts.

7/3/2023 – At the beginning of the month, FIDE published its new rating list. Magnus Carlsen, who lost 18 Elo points at Norway Chess in June, remains at the top of the list with 2835 points and is also the only player with an Elo rating above 2800. The Americans Hikaru Nakamura (2787, +12 at Norway Chess) and Fabiano Caruana (2782, +9 at Norway Chess) are in second and third place.

3/29/2023 – Toronto will host the 2024 FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates, scheduled for April 3-25, with a prize fund of EUR 750,000. It will be the first time in chess history that both events will be held at the same time and venue, and also the first time that the Candidates Tournament will be held in North America. The event will be sponsored by the Scheinberg family, as part of the long-term collaboration agreement that was announced in 2022.

3/20/2023 – The 2023 FIDE Women's Candidates Final will be disputed in Chongqing (China) from March 27th to April 6th. Chinese Grandmasters Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi will face each other in a six-game classical chess match. The winner will receive 60,000 Euros and the right to challenge the current Women's World Champion, Ju Wenjun, for the title in July.

2/17/2023 – FIDE has joined the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA). SIGA is a non-profit, global, independent organisation with a mission to ensure that sporting organisations are run to the highest standards of integrity in order to protect the values of sport.

2/8/2023 – UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, the International Chess Federation, and the Asian Chess Federation jointly held the Tolerance Games - Asian Chess Women's Contest that took place from February 06-07, 2023, in Abu-Dhabi, UAE. The event was a part of the Global Tolerance and Human Fraternity Summit in Etihad Towers. | Photo: FIDE