Wadim Rosenstein to run for FIDE President

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
6/26/2026 – Wadim Rosenstein has announced that he will run for President of FIDE. The German entrepreneur, founder of WR Chess, has become involved in elite events, team competitions and club chess in recent years. His candidacy follows a period in which he has built a profile as a sponsor, organiser and promoter of the game. | Photo: Wadim Rosenstein's X account
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.

Rosenstein: "Dedication alone is not enough"

Wadim Rosenstein, the German entrepreneur and chess organiser, has announced that he will run for President of FIDE. The founder of WR Chess has become increasingly active in international chess in recent years, combining sponsorship, event organisation and team management with a stated interest in widening the game's reach.

Rosenstein's involvement with chess dates back to his childhood. He played as a junior in Germany, including for Köln-Mülheim, before later concentrating on his business career. Chess remained part of his life as a personal interest, but his return to the public chess scene came through sponsorship and organisation, particularly in Düsseldorf.

One of his first major projects was the WR Chess Masters 2023, a classical super-tournament held in Düsseldorf. The event brought together established GMs and younger elite players, and was presented by Rosenstein as part of a broader effort to promote chess in his home city. It also marked the start of WR Chess as a more visible presence on the international calendar.

Rosenstein was also closely involved in the creation of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships. The format was designed to bring together elite players, women players, juniors and amateurs in the same team competition.

His activity has also extended to German club chess and youth initiatives. Rosenstein sponsored Düsseldorfer SK in their winning 2024/25 season at the Bundesliga. WR Chess has also backed youth events and projects aimed at increasing the game's visibility, including the current World Record Chess Marathon in Lima.

Gordon Tang, a Chinese billionaire businessman who owns a controlling stake in Singapore-listed property developer SingHaiyi, has been announced as Rosenstein's running mate.

Rosenstein's announcement (published on his X account)

Dear chess friends,

Today, I am announcing my candidacy for the presidency of FIDE.

I love chess. It has shaped my life, my way of thinking, and even the way I built my businesses. Chess deserves an organization that matches its greatness.

Today, FIDE has many dedicated people working hard for our sport. But dedication alone is not enough. We need stronger leadership, professional governance, faster decision-making, and a clear vision for the future. Our national federations deserve a governing body that listens, supports, innovates, and delivers.

That is why I have decided to run for President of FIDE.

I am proud to do so together with my running mate, Gordon Tang.

Together, we have built international companies, managed large organizations, attracted investment, and led teams across the world. We understand how successful organizations grow, how they create opportunities, and how they deliver results. It is time to bring this experience to FIDE.

Chess has enormous untapped potential. We must strengthen communication, modernize our digital infrastructure, attract new sponsors, improve marketing, invest in education, support our federations more effectively, and build a truly global chess ecosystem.

My vision is clear: FIDE should become one of the world’s most respected institutions in international sport.

And my goal is non-negotiable: FIDE needs to empower every one of its member federations.

In the coming weeks, we will present a comprehensive programme with concrete proposals and measurable objectives. We will also introduce a diverse international team of experienced professionals, grandmasters, business leaders, investors, and respected public figures who believe that chess deserves more.

We will work to strengthen every federation, create new opportunities for players of every level, develop exciting new competition formats, increase investment in chess worldwide, and continue pursuing our long-term goal of bringing chess into the Olympic Games.

This election is not about personalities.

It is about the future of chess.

The time has come to think bigger. The time has come to lead better. The time has come for change.

I invite every federation, every player, every organizer, and every chess supporter to join us.

Together, we will build the future of chess.

YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.

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Topics: Wadim Rosenstein, WR Chess
Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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Wadim Rosenstein and his intensive plan to promote chess

5/14/2026 – Wadim Rosenstein came into prominence when he organised the first edition of WR Chess in 2023. He then came up with the idea of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Teams - an event that has become a mainstay in the chess calendar. In recent times, if you follow Rosenstein on his X account, the number of activities that he is doing for chess has grown exponentially! In this interview, we ask him about these events, his vision for chess and whether he is planning to become the FIDE President. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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