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 the game shorter, more inclusive and more rewarding for players.The main change is that all events will last 19 days instead of 27. Instead of just going to the knockout stage, the players will start competing in the Swiss-system qualification stage before the start. The opening round will see players split into different Swiss pools, where each will play a number of games. The updated format starts with a Swiss-system qualifier using a 45-minute clock with an increment of 30 seconds per movement. The best performers from each pool will advance to the 16-player knock-out stage, which will continue with a well-known format using modern times.FIDE has also increased the size of both tournaments. The Open World Cup will expand from 206 to 224 players, while the Women’s World Cup will increase from 103 to 128 players.New teaching methods have also been introduced. Along with continental qualification, players can now qualify through the FIDE Grand Swiss, FIDE Circuit, Total Chess World Championship and as a senior player. Continental representation has also been strengthened, with more qualifying places for each region.
Big prize purse, short race
FIDE has increased the combined prize fund for the two events from USD 2.67 million in 2025 to USD 3.3 million in 2027. The prize money will continue to be distributed to each participant, with the players who finish lower in the categories receiving higher salaries than before, while the winner’s prize remains unchanged.Explaining the changes, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said, “The new format was designed to preserve the unique features of the FIDE World Cup and adapt it to the needs of modern chess. We believe that the final combination in Switzerland and the final will provide an exciting opportunity for the players and the fans. “ALSO READ: India will get 98th GM! All the parents of chess coaches, 10 board exams forced a break: The creation of Aswath SHe added, “At the same time, we are making the FIDE World Cups more integrated than ever before… With these changes, the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup will remain among the most watched tournaments in international chess while continuing to serve as major gateways to the World Championship circuit for players from all over the world.”
