6/30/2026 – Georgia honoured Nona Gaprindashvili at a ceremony in Tbilisi marking her 85th birthday, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, government officials and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich among the guests. Held at the Rustaveli National Theatre, the event combined tributes to Gaprindashvili’s chess career with Georgian cultural elements. The former women's world champion also received Georgia's highest award for sporting achievement during the ceremony. | Photos: gov.ge

6/30/2026 – Incumbent FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich has announced he will seek a third term as President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Dvorkovich has said he will focus on providing more practical support for national federations, digital modernisation, youth development, stronger commercial partnerships and bringing FIDE closer to those it serves.

6/29/2026 – The FIDE World Cup Under 8–12 concluded in Batumi after eleven days of play, with China finishing first in the medal standings after winning three gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Kazakhstan, France and India also collected gold medals, while India added two silvers and one bronze. The closing ceremony brought together players, coaches, parents and guests, and included a performance by Junior Eurovision 2024 winner Andria Putkaradze. | All photos: Mindia Malakhmadze

6/29/2026 – The President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the founder and the majority shareholder of Freedom Holding Corp., Timur Turlov, has nominated himself for the post of the Deputy President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The next elections to the FIDE leadership team will be held on September 26-27, 2026, in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), as part of the General Assembly of the International Chess Federation.

6/28/2026 – The FIDE World Youth Chess Championships 2026 concluded in Montesilvano, Italy, with six new champions crowned across the under-14, under-16 and under-18 categories. The event brought together 758 players from 84 countries and produced several close finishes, including titles decided on tiebreaks and by final-round results. Azerbaijan, whose players won two individual gold medals, received the Best Federation Trophy ahead of Canada and Poland. | Photos: Mark Livshitz and Niklesh Jain

6/28/2026 – The International Chess Federation has introduced the FIDE Excellence Awards, a biennial programme recognising achievements across the global chess community during each Olympiad cycle. The first ceremony will be held in Samarkand in September 2026, during the Chess Olympiad. Nominations are open across regular and discretionary categories, covering players, federations, events, creators and social-impact projects. The deadline to submit nominations is 30 June.

6/26/2026 – FIDE has opened its new Shenzhen Office in Qianhai, following an inauguration ceremony attended by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Chinese sports official He Fengxiang. The two sides discussed further cooperation in event organisation, youth training, cultural exchange and chess development, with Shenzhen set to serve as a hub linking FIDE's work with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and broader chess activity across China. | Photo: Liang Ziming

6/24/2026 – Grandmasters Darmen Sadvakasov and Victor Bologan took part in chess events in Tokyo and Kyoto on 13–14 June 2026, as part of the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives programme. The visit included simultaneous exhibitions, masterclasses and meetings with Japanese chess officials, with discussions focused on youth development, FIDE-rated tournaments and wider recognition of chess in Japan. A training camp for leading young Japanese players is planned for August. | Photos: FIDE

6/22/2026 – Cape Town will host the African continental stage of the World School Team Chess Championship from 6 to 11 July 2026, marking the next step in the new FIDE and ISCF cycle. The event, part of the Chess in Education Year initiative, will bring together national school teams from across Africa, with the leading sides qualifying for the Grand Final in December. Further continental stages will follow in the Americas and Europe.

6/21/2026 – On World Refugee Day 2026, FIDE has highlighted the continued development of its Chess for Protection project, created with UNHCR and partner organisations to support displaced communities through chess. The initiative, active in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, has trained thousands of children and will now expand to Bangladesh. A further milestone will come in September, when Refugee Olympic Teams make their first appearance at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. | Photos: Stev Bonhage, Denis Burko and Rawful Alam

6/20/2026 – An extraordinary fusion of chess and high culture was offered by the event "Chess at the Opera" at the Vienna State Opera on 12 June. Germany's superstar, GM Vincent Keymer, took on Austria's super-talents IM Lukas Dotzer, FM Peter Balint, IM Laurenz Borrmann and FM Robert Ernst in a clock simultaneous display. | Photos: Andreas Tischler

6/18/2026 – FIDE has opened its Shenzhen Office in Qianhai, establishing its first formal base in Asia since the federation was founded in 1924. The office will support liaison, coordination and partnerships across China and the wider Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on events, cultural exchange and chess development. Its inauguration also strengthens Shenzhen's position in international sports cooperation and reflects the city's growing role in the global mind sports community. | Photo: Liang Ziming

6/17/2026 – Chess and brain-computer interface research came together at a clinical symposium held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, with FIDE Treasurer Zhu Chen among the invited guests. The event followed recent demonstrations of BCI technology through online chess, including Neuralink patient Noland Arbaugh's game against Anna Cramling. Researchers discussed medical applications for neurological conditions, while chess was presented as a useful tool for exploring cognition, digital interaction and future clinical testing. | Photo: Liang Ziming

6/16/2026 – The opening press conference for the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2026 took place on June 16 at The Pavilion, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong, marking the official start of one of FIDE's most dynamic and spectator-friendly competitions. The event brings together more than 40 teams and over 300 players from around the world, featuring elite grandmasters, top women players, rising stars and amateur participants competing side by side in a unique team format.

6/16/2026 – Magnus Carlsen makes his Hong Kong debut, alongside American star Fabiano Caruana and other chess super-stars, as the city takes centre stage of the chess world. Carlsen today made his first official appearance in the city, taking part in a press conference for the FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2026. That begins tomorrow and runs from 17–21 June. The prize fund: €500,000 — and the title of the strongest team on the planet across the sport's two most thrilling formats.

6/13/2026 – The lineups for the 2026 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships have been confirmed, with 43 teams and more than 300 players set to compete in Hong Kong. Previous frontrunners WR Chess, Hexamind and Team MGD1 return with strong squads, while Dragon Chilling, led by Ding Liren, adds further interest. With many of the world's leading rapid and blitz players involved, the fourth edition features considerable depth across the field.

6/12/2026 – The lineups for the 2026 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships have been confirmed, with 43 teams and more than 300 players set to compete in Hong Kong. Previous front-runners WR Chess, Hexamind and Team MGD1 return with strong squads, while Dragon Chilling, led by Ding Liren, adds further interest. With many of the world's leading rapid and blitz players involved, the fourth edition features considerable depth across the field.

6/8/2026 – Schackcykeln (The Chess Bike) will launch in Trelleborg on 15 June as a free mobile chess initiative for summer 2026. Run by volunteers from Söderslätt Schacksällskap and funded by the Swedish Postcode Foundation, the project will bring chess sets, tables and chairs to public spaces across the city. With live GPS tracking and a custom app, organisers aim to make casual chess easier to find and more accessible. | Photo: Agnes Orre