{"id":43357,"date":"2026-02-02T15:02:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T15:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/?p=43357"},"modified":"2026-02-15T09:06:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T09:06:47","slug":"queens-online-chess-festival-returns-in-march-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/queens-online-chess-festival-returns-in-march-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival returns in March 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"43357\" class=\"elementor elementor-43357\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1dc7826 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1dc7826\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09f222a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"09f222a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Festival-2026.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-43402\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Festival-2026.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Festival-2026-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Festival-2026-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Festival-2026-768x433.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-754c090 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"754c090\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival will return in March 2026, marking its 6th edition as a global celebration of women\u2019s chess. Organised by the FIDE Commission for Women\u2019s Chess under the Chess4All FIDE WOM Project, the festival will run from March 1-29, 2026 and is dedicated to International Women\u2019s Day (March 8). Participation is free of charge, and the festival is open to women and girls of all ages and playing levels, including unrated players from around the world.<\/p><p>The 2026 edition of the Queens\u2019 Online Chess <span style=\"color: #000000;\">Festival<\/span> will once again feature two parallel competitions, offering opportunities for both rated and unrated players:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Tournament<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-04c73d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"04c73d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1225\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/QF-2026-Schedule.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-43358\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/QF-2026-Schedule.jpg 1225w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/QF-2026-Schedule-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/QF-2026-Schedule-1024x570.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/QF-2026-Schedule-768x428.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1225px) 100vw, 1225px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a18863d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a18863d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Tournament<br \/><\/strong>Open to all female players with a FIDE ID, the Women\u2019s Open is structured as a series of continental online blitz qualifiers, followed by a Semi-Final and a Final.<\/p><p>The qualification tournaments will take place as follows:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">African Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 1 (9:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">European Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 7 (9:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Asian Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 8 (9:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">American Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 15 (13:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>Each continental qualifier will be played as a 9-round Swiss tournament with a 3+2 blitz time control. The winner of each qualifier will receive the title of Queen of her respective continent.\u00a0<\/p><p>The top 25 players from each continent will advance to the Queens\u2019 Online Semi-Final, scheduled for March 22 at 13:00 UTC, where 100 players will compete in a 9-round Swiss tournament.\u00a0<\/p><p>The top eight finishers from the Semi-Final will qualify for the Queens\u2019 Online Final, a 7-round round-robin blitz tournament played on March 29 at 13:00 UTC, with a 5+5 time control, to determine the overall winner of the festival.<\/p><p>Registration deadlines for the continental qualification tournaments are as follows:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Africa<\/strong>: February 22, 2026<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Europe &amp; Asia<\/strong>: March 1, 2026<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Americas<\/strong>: March 7, 2026<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>The registration form for the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open is available <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/rBcspUh9Fth9fQki9\">[HERE]<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p><p><strong>Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament<\/strong><br \/>Designed for girls without a FIDE rating, the Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament is open to players in the U9, U11, U13, U15, and U17 age categories (U17 players must be born on or after 1 January 2009).<\/p><p>The Princesses\u2019 competition will include:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Online Qualification Group A \u2013 March 16 (9:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Online Qualification Group B \u2013 March 16 (13:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Online Final Stage U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 \u2013 March 29 (13:00 UTC)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>All stages of the Princesses\u2019 tournament will be played with a 5+5 blitz time control, with 7 rounds for each qualification stage<\/p><p>Unrated players under 17 years old may choose to participate in the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open, the Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament, or both events.<\/p><p>Registration for the Princesses\u2019 tournament closes on <strong>March 8, 2026<\/strong>. The registration form is available <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/c6ZsH6gxPAEN7ZAz9\">[HERE]<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p><p><strong>Fair play and online regulations<\/strong><\/p><p>Fair play remains a central pillar of the Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival. All Semi-Final and Final stages will be conducted under FIDE Online Chess Regulations, including mandatory Zoom supervision, screen sharing, and camera monitoring. All games will undergo post-event fair play verification using statistical analysis tools and the FIDE Screening Tool.<\/p><p><strong>Awards<\/strong><\/p><p>All participants will receive an electronic certificate of participation. Additional awards include:<\/p><p>\u00a0<strong>Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Continental titles for the winners of each qualification tournament\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the winners of each qualification tournament\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A prize fund of USD 600 for the top three finishers in the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Final<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">An invitation for the overall winner of the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open to attend the 46th World Chess Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan, including three nights of hotel accommodation with full board<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Diplomas for the top three finishers in each age category for both qualification stages of the Princesses\u2019 Chess Festival<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A physical trophy for the winner of the final<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the final winner, and 50 USD vouchers for second and third place finishers.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p>We are looking forward to your registrations!<\/p><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Queens-Regulations-2026.pdf\">Regulations (PDF)<\/a><\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Contact Information:<\/strong><\/p><p>General Director: Ozgur Solakoglu (TUR)<br \/>Tournament Director: Ulkar Umudova (AZE)<br \/>Festival Coordinator: Yilmaz Kar tal (TUR)<br \/>Chief Arbiter: IA Kaussar Bauyrzhan (KAZ)<\/p><p>E-mail address: <strong><a href=\"mailto:queensfestival@fide.com\">queensfestival@fide.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p><p>FIDE Commission for Women\u2019s Chess official website: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wom.fide.com\/\">wom.fide.com\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival will return in March 2026, marking its 6th edition as a global celebration of women\u2019s chess. Organised by the FIDE Commission for Women\u2019s Chess under the Chess4All FIDE WOM Project, the festival will run from March 1-29, 2026 and is dedicated to International Women\u2019s Day (March 8). Participation is free of charge, and the festival is open to women and girls of all ages and playing levels, including unrated players from around the world. The 2026 edition of the Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival will once again feature two parallel competitions, offering opportunities for both rated and unrated players: Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Tournament Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open TournamentOpen to all female players with a FIDE ID, the Women\u2019s Open is structured as a series of continental online blitz qualifiers, followed by a Semi-Final and a Final. The qualification tournaments will take place as follows: African Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 1 (9:00 UTC) European Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 7 (9:00 UTC) Asian Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 8 (9:00 UTC) American Online Blitz Qualification \u2013 March 15 (13:00 UTC) Each continental qualifier will be played as a 9-round Swiss tournament with a 3+2 blitz time control. The winner of each qualifier will receive the title of Queen of her respective continent.\u00a0 The top 25 players from each continent will advance to the Queens\u2019 Online Semi-Final, scheduled for March 22 at 13:00 UTC, where 100 players will compete in a 9-round Swiss tournament.\u00a0 The top eight finishers from the Semi-Final will qualify for the Queens\u2019 Online Final, a 7-round round-robin blitz tournament played on March 29 at 13:00 UTC, with a 5+5 time control, to determine the overall winner of the festival. Registration deadlines for the continental qualification tournaments are as follows: Africa: February 22, 2026 Europe &amp; Asia: March 1, 2026 Americas: March 7, 2026 The registration form for the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open is available [HERE]. Unrated Princesses\u2019 TournamentDesigned for girls without a FIDE rating, the Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament is open to players in the U9, U11, U13, U15, and U17 age categories (U17 players must be born on or after 1 January 2009). The Princesses\u2019 competition will include: Online Qualification Group A \u2013 March 16 (9:00 UTC) Online Qualification Group B \u2013 March 16 (13:00 UTC) Online Final Stage U9, U11, U13, U15, U17 \u2013 March 29 (13:00 UTC) All stages of the Princesses\u2019 tournament will be played with a 5+5 blitz time control, with 7 rounds for each qualification stage Unrated players under 17 years old may choose to participate in the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open, the Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament, or both events. Registration for the Princesses\u2019 tournament closes on March 8, 2026. The registration form is available [HERE]. Fair play and online regulations Fair play remains a central pillar of the Queens\u2019 Online Chess Festival. All Semi-Final and Final stages will be conducted under FIDE Online Chess Regulations, including mandatory Zoom supervision, screen sharing, and camera monitoring. All games will undergo post-event fair play verification using statistical analysis tools and the FIDE Screening Tool. Awards All participants will receive an electronic certificate of participation. Additional awards include: \u00a0Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Continental titles for the winners of each qualification tournament\u00a0 100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the winners of each qualification tournament\u00a0 Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers A prize fund of USD 600 for the top three finishers in the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open Final An invitation for the overall winner of the Queens\u2019 Women\u2019s Open to attend the 46th World Chess Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan, including three nights of hotel accommodation with full board Unrated Princesses\u2019 Tournament Diplomas for the top three finishers in each age category for both qualification stages of the Princesses\u2019 Chess Festival Training sessions with Women Grandmasters for top performers A physical trophy for the winner of the final 100 USD FIDE shop voucher for the final winner, and 50 USD vouchers for second and third place finishers. We are looking forward to your registrations! Regulations (PDF) Contact Information: General Director: Ozgur Solakoglu (TUR)Tournament Director: Ulkar Umudova (AZE)Festival Coordinator: Yilmaz Kar tal (TUR)Chief Arbiter: IA Kaussar Bauyrzhan (KAZ) E-mail address: queensfestival@fide.com FIDE Commission for Women\u2019s Chess official website: wom.fide.com\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":43402,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[373,336,165],"regular":[],"sticky-post":[],"class_list":["post-43357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chess-news","tag-queens-online-chess-festival","tag-wom-commission","tag-women-in-chess"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43357"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43661,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43357\/revisions\/43661"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43357"},{"taxonomy":"regular","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/regular?post=43357"},{"taxonomy":"sticky-post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sticky-post?post=43357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}