2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup Divya Deshmukh and 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov (PTI Photos)
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has approved a major overhaul of the World Cup and Women’s World Cup formats from 2027, with the aim of making tournaments shorter, more inclusive and more rewarding for players.The biggest change is that both events will now last 19 days instead of 27. Instead of going straight to the knockout, players will first compete in a Swiss qualifying stage before the traditional knockout rounds begin.
The opening stage will see players divided into separate Swiss groups, where everyone will be able to play multiple matches. The revamped format begins with Swiss System qualifiers using a 45-minute clock and 30-second increments for each move.
The top performers from each group will then advance to the 16-player knockout stage, which will continue the familiar format with classic time controls.FIDE has also expanded the size of both tournaments. The number of players in the Open World Cup will increase from 206 to 224 players, while the number of players in the Women’s World Cup will increase from 103 to 128 players.New qualification methods have also been introduced. Along with continental qualification points, players can now qualify through the FIDE Grand Swiss, the FIDE Circuit, the Overall World Chess Championship and as the highest-rated No. 1 player.
Continental representation has also been strengthened, with more qualifying places for each region.
Bigger prize pool, shorter tournament
The FIDE has increased the combined prize fund for the two events from US$2.67 million in 2025 to US$3.3 million in 2027. The prize money will continue to be distributed to each participant, with players lower in the standings receiving higher rewards than before, while the winner’s prize remains unchanged.Explaining the changes, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said: “The new format is designed to preserve the unique identity of the FIDE World Cup while adapting it to the evolving needs of modern chess.
We believe that combining the Swiss qualifiers and the knockout finals will provide a more engaging experience for both players and fans.”Read also: India gets GM No. 98! Both parents are chess coaches, 10th board exam forced a break: Aswath S madeHe added: “At the same time, we are working to make the FIDE World Cup more inclusive than ever before… With these changes, the FIDE World Cup and FIDE Women’s World Cup will remain among the most watched competitions in international chess while continuing to serve as key gateways to the World Championship tournament for players from every corner of the world.”
