FIDE and the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess are proud to announce the return of the ChessMom Project for the 46th Chess Olympiad, to be held in Uzbekistan in 2026.

This pioneering initiative was first introduced at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and federations alike. The ChessMom Project reflects FIDE’s commitment to supporting professional women chess players who are mothers, helping them continue their chess careers while caring for their young children.

“I think it is important that women in chess feel supported. We cannot take all the barriers for women away, but with programs like ChessMom we want to help professional chess players balance their career and personal life.” — Dana Reizniece, FIDE Deputy Chair of the Management Board

The core mission of the project remains unchanged: to ensure that motherhood and a professional chess career can go hand in hand. The program provides financial support for female players with babies, allowing them to travel and compete with the assistance of a caregiver.

For the 2026 edition, an important update has been introduced:

• Mothers with children under two years of age (previously under one) at the time of the Olympiad are now eligible to apply.

Key details for the 2026 ChessMom Project

• FIDE will support 10 female chess players, based on rating (highest to lowest)
• At least 1 player per Continent in guaranteed
• FIDE will provide reimbursement up to €1,000 per player (or €500 EUR from same continent as Olympiad host country) who travels with an under 2 years old child, to cover the caregiver’s flight ticket to the 46th Chess Olympiad (most airlines do not charge for child under 2, traveling with an adult)
• Child and accompanied caregiver shall be considered as part of the National Official Delegation with all applicable rights. Meaning providing lodge and meals, and any other applicable discounted fee as part of the Official Delegation (not visitor)
• National Federations* should consider child and accompanied caregiver as part of the National Official Delegation with all applicable rights.

Application requirements

Interested national federations and eligible players are invited to prepare the following information:

• Player’s full name, FIDE ID, national federation, and citizenship
• Visa requirement for Uzbekistan
• Child’s full name and date of birth
• Accompanying person’s full name, relationship to the player or child, and citizenship
• Letter of request from the player
• Letter of concurrence from the National Federation confirming participation in the 2026 Olympiad

Further details – including the official application form, timeline, and submission deadlines – will be announced once the official Olympiad regulations are published by the organizers.

Note to National Federations

National teams participating in Chess Olympiad normally receive three (3) rooms as part of their official accommodation package — typically, two double rooms and one single room for five (5) players.

For delegations that include a player approved under the ChessMom Project, the single room will be upgraded to a double room to allow the caregiver and the baby to stay comfortably together with the delegation.

It is important to note that this adjustment does not increase the total number of rooms provided to each delegation. The delegation will still receive a total of three rooms, as per standard allocation.

Building on the success of 2024

The first edition of ChessMom took place at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, where six mothers from across the world received support through the program: Alina Kashlinskaya (Poland), Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia), Yuliia Osmak (Ukraine), Aster Melake Bantiwalu (Ethiopia), Rauha Shipindo (Namibia) and Nolwazi Nkwanyane (Eswatini).

Their stories demonstrated that motherhood truly can coexist with continued professional growth.

As Namibian player Rauha Shipindo shared:

“I am so grateful to those who initiated the ChessMom program. It is trying to close the gap that is there for women. If I have a newborn like this, I might weigh in and say, will I stay to look after my little one, or will I go to the Chess Olympics? So it’s combining that gap and closing it.”

Continuing the mission

With the 2026 edition, the ChessMom Project continues to break new ground in supporting women in chess. It stands as a symbol of FIDE’s ongoing dedication to equality, inclusion, and respect for the diverse paths that bring players to the chessboard.

FIDE and the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess will work tirelessly to continue this mission.

“We are committed to ensuring that no woman is forced to choose between motherhood and her professional career as a chess player. ChessMom continues to grow, raise awareness, and send a message that mothers who play chess are not alone.” — Francisco Javier Cruz Arce, FIDE Women’s Commission Member and Project Initiator

More details about the project will be shared soon.

For additional information about the project, please contact Francisco Javier Cruz Arce, at fj_007@yahoo.com.