FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2026

Follow the FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Championship 2026 live from Hong Kong. Catch up on the full schedule, participating teams, prize fund and complete format guide.

The chess world is in Hong Kong this week. From June 17 to 21, 2026, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium hosts the fourth edition of the FIDE World Rated Blitz and Rapid Championship 2026, bringing together 48 teams and nearly 400 players from every corner of the globe. This is the first time this championship has arrived in East Asia, and the field is the strongest the event has ever seen.

Whether you are tracking the chess world rapid team championship for the 12-round Swiss grind or the world blitz team championship for its knockout drama, this guide has every detail you need: the full schedule with round timings, the participating teams, the complete prize fund breakdown, the format rules, previous champions, and everything happening at the venue.

QUICK FACTS

  • Event: FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2026
  • Dates: June 17-21, 2026
  • Venue: Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong
  • Edition: 4th (first in East Asia) | Teams: 48 | Players: ~400
  • Total Prize Fund: EUR 500,000 | Rapid: EUR 310,000 | Blitz: EUR 190,000
  • Rapid Winner Prize: EUR 110,000 | Blitz Winner Prize: EUR 75,000
  • Live streaming: FIDE YouTube Channel (from June 17)

What Is the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship?

The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship is one of the most distinctive competitions on the chess calendar. Unlike the Chess Olympiad, where players represent their countries, this event allows grandmasters, clubs, academies, and sponsors to build their own mixed squads and compete for two separate world titles.

Every team must include at least one female player and one recreational player, defined as someone who has never reached a FIDE rating of 2000 in standard, rapid, or blitz as of the March 2026 rating lists. This means that amateur players share the stage with Super Grandmasters, all competing on the same boards in the same rounds.

The format has grown rapidly since its 2023 debut in Dusseldorf. It attracted 36 teams in its first year, 38 in Astana in 2024, and close to 60 in London in 2025. Hong Kong in 2026 brings 48 elite competing teams alongside the inaugural FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup, pushing total participation above 800 players across the full programme.

Full Schedule: FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship 2026

All competition rounds take place at Queen Elizabeth Stadium. All times are Hong Kong local time (HKT / UTC+8).

Date

Session

Stage

Time (HKT)

June 17 (Tue)

World Rapid Championship

Opening Ceremony + Rounds 1-4

11:00 AM (Tech Meeting) | 1:30 PM (Ceremony) | 2:00 PM R1 | 3:40 PM R2 | 5:20 PM R3 | 7:00 PM R4

June 18 (Wed)

World Rapid Championship

Rounds 5-8

2:00 PM R5 | 3:40 PM R6 | 5:20 PM R7 | 7:00 PM R8

June 19 (Thu)

World Rapid Championship

Rounds 9-12 (Final Day)

2:00 PM R9 | 3:40 PM R10 | 5:20 PM R11 | 7:00 PM R12

June 20 (Fri)

World Blitz Championship

Pool Stage (Rounds 1-11)

2:00 PM start | Rounds every 25 min

June 20 (Fri)

World Blitz Championship

Round of 16

7:00 PM | TB from 8:00 PM

June 21 (Sat)

World Blitz Championship

Quarter-Finals + Semi-Finals

2:00 PM QF | TBD SF

June 21 (Sat)

World Blitz Championship

FINAL

7:00 PM

Note: The inaugural FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup runs alongside the main event on June 18-20, with rounds at 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 11:00 AM each day. The Amateur Cup final stage begins June 21 at 12:30 PM.

Tournament Format Explained

World Team Rapid Championship Format

The world rapid chess championship component runs across three days (June 17-19) with four rounds per day, totalling 12 rounds in a Swiss system.

  • Format: 12-round Swiss system
  • Rounds per day: 4 (starting at 2:00 PM each day)
  • Time control: 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move from move one
  • Scoring: Match points (2 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss)
  • Tiebreaker: Board points serve as tiebreakers
  • Every match played on 6 boards
  • Each lineup must include at least one female player AND one recreational player (they must be two different players)

World Blitz Team Championship Format: Pool Stage

The world blitz chess championship begins on June 20 with a pool stage. All teams are divided into pools of similar strength and play a round robin within their pool.

  • All teams divided into pools by strength
  • Round robin format within each pool
  • Top 16 teams across all pools advance to the knockout stage
  • A Round of 16 playoff seeds the bracket for the knockout stage
  • Time control: 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move from move one

World Blitz Team Championship Format: Knockout Stage

The top 16 teams from the pool stage enter a single-elimination bracket on June 20 (Round of 16) and June 21 (Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Final).

  • Top 16 teams from the pool stage compete in a single-elimination bracket
  • A separate match determines third place
  • A duel for fifth place is also held
  • Time control: 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move from move one
  • Final scheduled for 7:00 PM HKT on June 21

Teams Participating in the Championship

The 2026 edition features 48 registered teams. Nine headline squads carry most of the title conversation, but the depth across the full field in this world blitz team championship is remarkable.

Team

Key Players

WR Chess

Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Wesley So, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Hou Yifan, Andrey Esipenko

Team MGD1

Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Pranav V, Leon Luke Mendonca, Harika Dronavalli

Dragon Chilling

Ding Liren, Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi, Lu Shanglei, Bai Jinshi, Ju Wenjun, Lei Tingjie

Hexamind

Alireza Firouzja, Anish Giri, Levon Aronian, Vidit Gujrathi, Kateryna Lagno, Volodar Murzin

Uzbekistan

Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vokhidov, Afruza Khamdamova, Umida Omonova (Captain: Rustam Kasimdzhanov)

Kazchess

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Alexander Grischuk, Richard Rapport, Wang Hao, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Kazybek Nogerbek

Chessgurukul

Vaishali Rameshbabu, R. Praggnanandhaa, Aravindh Chithambaram, Pranesh Munirethinam, Karthikeyan Murali

Chess United

Viswanathan Anand, Koneru Humpy, Faustino Oro, Tunde Onakaya, Roman Shogdzhiev, Jorden van Foreest

Endgame.AI

Hans Moke Niemann, Leinier Dominguez, Amin Tabatabaei, Alexey Sarana, Denis Lazavik, Zhu Jiner

Additional teams confirmed include Chessnut Nova (Raunak Sadhwani, Daniel Dardha, Marc'Andria Maurizzi), Global Ramblers (Alexei Shirov, Alexander Motylev), and Farm Valera Chess Training (Vasyl Ivanchuk). Teams from Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Spain, and Australia are also in the draw, giving the world rapid chess championship a truly global character.

Prize Fund Distribution: EUR 500,000

The total prize fund for the FIDE World Rated Blitz and Rapid Championship 2026 stands at EUR 500,000, split between the two competitions. Additional category prizes are available for teams in the Under-2400 and Under-2200 average rating brackets in the Rapid.

Place

Rapid (EUR 310,000)

Blitz (EUR 190,000)

1st

110,000

75,000

2nd

70,000

50,000

3rd

50,000

30,000

4th

30,000

20,000

5th

20,000

15,000

6th

15,000

-

1st Under-2400

10,000

-

1st Under-2200

5,000

-

The Amateur Cup carries a separate prize fund of EUR 25,000, with EUR 10,000 awarded to the first-place team.

Previous Champions and Tournament History

The FIDE World Team Rapid Championship began in Dusseldorf in 2023, with the WR Chess Team claiming the inaugural title. The Blitz competition was added in Astana in 2024, with WR Chess taking the Blitz title and Al-Ain ACMG UAE winning the Rapid. In London in 2025, Team MGD1 took the Rapid crown while WR Chess successfully defended their Blitz title.

Year

Rapid Winner

Blitz Winner

2025

Team MGD1

WR Chess Team

2024

Al-Ain ACMG UAE

WR Chess Team

2023

WR Chess Team

-

WR Chess have won the World Blitz Team title in every edition since it was introduced, making them the dominant force in the faster format. Team MGD1's Rapid title in 2025 broke WR Chess's early dominance, and the 2026 edition will tell us whether either legacy continues.

FIDE World Team Rapid Chess Championships 2026 - Final Standings

The Rapid Championship ran across 12 Swiss rounds from June 17 to 19. Dragon Chilling claimed the Rapid world title with 18 points and 46 tiebreak points, edging Team MGD1 on tiebreaks. Both teams finished on 18 points, but Dragon Chilling's superior tiebreak of 46 secured the gold medal.

#

Team

Pts.

TB

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

Dragon Chilling

18

46

2

2

2

2

2

1

1

2

2

0

0

2

2

Team MGD1

18

46

2

2

0

2

2

2

1

2

0

2

1

2

3

Hexamind Chess Team

18

45

2

2

0

0

2

2

1

2

2

2

1

2

4

Mr Birdie and friends

17

44.5

2

1

2

2

0

1

2

1

2

2

2

0

5

Chessgurukul

17

40.5

2

2

2

0

2

1

2

0

2

0

2

2

6

Endgame.AI

16

43.5

2

0

2

2

2

1

1

1

0

2

1

2

7

Uzbekistan

15

45.5

2

2

0

2

0

0

2

2

1

2

0

2

8

Kazchess

15

41

2

2

2

2

0

2

1

0

2

0

0

2

9

Interstellar Club

15

40.5

2

2

0

1

2

0

2

0

2

2

2

0

10

Chess United

15

39.5

1

2

0

2

2

2

0

0

2

2

0

2

FIDE World Team Blitz Championship 2026: Pool Stage Results

The 48 teams were divided into four pools of equal strength. All teams played a full round robin within their pool. The top 16 teams across all four pools advanced to the knockout stage.

Note: In each table, the chess piece icon (-) on the diagonal indicates a team's own slot. The checkerboard icon also appears as (-) and indicates a forfeit or bye result.

Blitz Pool A: Final Standings

Team

Pts

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

WR Chess

21

-

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Chess United

19

0

-

2

2

2

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

Barys

18

0

0

-

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Schnappi Krokodil Team

17

1

0

0

-

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Theme International Trading

12

0

0

0

0

-

2

2

0

2

2

2

2

Fearless Knights of HK China Chess Sch

10

0

0

0

0

0

-

2

0

2

2

2

2

Duobeniajan Costa Calida Esj

9

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

2

1

2

2

2

Chongqing Kylin Chess Club

9

0

1

0

0

2

2

0

-

2

0

0

2

The Chess Academy Hong Kong Team B

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

-

2

2

2

InstAdapt

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

-

2

2

C.A. Silla Integrant Col-lectius

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

-

0

Kindness On Board Infinite Team

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

-

Blitz Pool B: Final Standings

Team

Pts.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Endgame.AI

21

-

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Dragon Chilling

20

1

-

2

2

2

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

Chessgurukul

17

0

0

-

2

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Indonesia

15

0

0

0

-

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Mongolia-Aldar

13

0

0

1

1

-

0

2

1

2

2

2

2

May Wind Newbies

12

0

1

0

0

2

-

0

1

2

2

2

2

Chess Thulir

11

0

0

0

0

0

2

-

1

2

2

2

2

Global Ramblers

11

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

-

2

2

2

2

Street Chess Canberra

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

2

1

2

Scholastic Anichess HK

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

2

1

Davao Chess Eagles

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

-

2

Perfect

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

-

Blitz Pool C: Final Standings

Team

Pts.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Hexamind Chess Team

21

-

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Uzbekistan

19

1

-

1

2

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Team MGD1

17

0

0

-

2

0

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Sky Chess

16

0

1

0

-

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Red Pseudodragon

15

0

0

2

0

-

2

-

2

2

2

2

2

Kidult Chess Academy Hong Kong

11

0

0

0

0

0

-

1

2

2

2

2

2

Shenzhen Qiyu Chess Club

10

0

0

0

0

-

1

-

1

2

2

2

2

Caissa Hong Kong Chess Club

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

-

1

0

2

2

Quadcore+

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

-

0

2

2

The Chess Academy Hong Kong Team A

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

2

-

0

1

Malaysia Chess Hub

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

-

2

Chess In Shanghai

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

-

Blitz Pool D: Final Standings

Team

Pts.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Mr Birdie and friends

22

-

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Kazchess

16

0

-

2

-

0

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

Odlar Yurdu (Azerbaijan)

15

0

0

-

1

2

2

0

2

2

2

2

2

Chessnut Nova

14

0

-

1

-

0

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

Interstellar Club

14

0

2

0

2

-

0

0

2

2

2

2

2

Farm - Valera Chess Training

13

0

0

0

1

2

-

2

2

1

2

1

2

The MongolZ

10

0

0

2

0

2

0

-

2

2

2

0

-

PKU-Alpha2Fund Chess Team

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

1

2

2

2

Blue Bulldogs

6

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

-

0

2

2

Wizard Manpower - Pilipinas

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

-

2

2

Qatar Chess Team

5

0

0

0

0

1

2

0

0

0

0

-

2

Beijing Yijia Chess Club

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

0

0

0

0

-

Blitz Knockout Stage Results (June 20-21)

The top 16 teams from the pool stage advanced to a single-elimination bracket. The Round of 16 took place on June 20 evening. Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals followed on June 21 afternoon, with the Final at 7:00 PM HKT.

Round of 16 (June 20)

Team A

Score A

Team B

Score B

WR Chess

1

Uzbekistan

3

Mr Birdie and friends

2

Dragon Chilling

4

Endgame.AI

3

Team MGD1

1

Hexamind Chess Team

4

Chessgurukul

0

Quarter-Finals (June 21)

Team A

Score A

Team B

Score B

Uzbekistan

2

Dragon Chilling

4

Endgame.AI

4

Hexamind Chess Team

2

Semi-Finals (June 21)

Team A

Score A

Team B

Score B

Dragon Chilling

4

Endgame.AI

0

Uzbekistan

4

Hexamind Chess Team

2

FINAL (June 21, 7:00 PM HKT)

Dragon Chilling

Endgame.AI

4 (WINNER)

0

GOLD MEDAL

SILVER MEDAL

Dragon Chilling from China won the 2026 World Team Blitz Championship, defeating Endgame.AI 4-0 in the final on June 21, 2026. Powered by Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi, Ding Liren, and Ju Wenjun, the team went undefeated through the entire knockout stage. This victory breaks WR Chess's two-year winning streak in the blitz format.

Why Hong Kong? The Significance of the 2026 Edition

This marks the first time the world rapid championship has come to East Asia. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich described the significance plainly: 'Hong Kong isn't just hosting a chess tournament. It is taking place on the global chess map, with the best players, rising stars and chess fans from all over the world coming together.'

The championship has been awarded 'M' Mark status by Hong Kong's Major Sports Events Committee, placing it alongside the city's most prestigious international sporting events. The timing is not accidental. Chess power has been shifting toward Asia in recent years, with India, China, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan all central to elite chess. Hong Kong sits naturally between these cultures while serving as a global travel and business hub.

What This Tournament Means for Young Chess Players

Tournaments like this one are not just entertainment. They are living classrooms. Every position Magnus Carlsen calculates under a 15-second increment, every blitz decision Ding Liren makes in a 3-minute game, every team co-ordination moment in a six-board match: these are the ingredients that structured chess training is built from.

At Kingdom of Chess, our coaches include GM Diptayan Ghosh (ELO 2577) and IM Kushager Krishnater (ELO 2392), who has personally trained Arjun Erigaisi and over 20 Grandmasters. Arjun is competing in Hong Kong this week with Team MGD1. Watching that team play, and then bringing those positions into your next class, is one of the most effective things a developing player can do.

Want your child to learn chess the right way? Explore our live interactive chess coaching programs for kids and get guided by FIDE-certified GM and IM coaches from session one.

Also Read

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship 2026?

The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship 2026 is a mixed-team chess competition held in Hong Kong from June 17 to 21. It features two world titles: the Rapid Championship (12-round Swiss) and the Blitz Championship (pool stage plus knockout). Every team must include at least one female player and one recreational player.

Who won the World Team Blitz Championship 2026?

Dragon Chilling from China won the 2026 World Team Blitz Championship, defeating Endgame.AI 4-0 in the final on June 21. Dragon Chilling went undefeated through the entire knockout stage, conceding zero matches from the Quarter-Finals to the Final.

Who won the World Team Rapid Championship 2026?

Dragon Chilling won the 2026 World Team Rapid Championship with 18 match points and 46 tiebreak points, edging Team MGD1 (also 18 points, 46 tiebreaks) on cumulative tiebreak criteria. Hexamind Chess Team finished third with 18 points and 45 tiebreaks.

How did WR Chess perform in the Blitz Championship 2026?

WR Chess were eliminated in the Blitz Round of 16, losing to Uzbekistan 1-3 in the knockout stage. Despite finishing as Pool A winners with 21 points in the pool stage, they could not advance further and did not feature in the Rapid Championship top 10 either.

How many teams are competing?

48 teams are confirmed for the main championship, with nearly 400 players. The inaugural FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup runs alongside with additional teams, bringing total participation above 800 players.

Did any team win both the Rapid and Blitz titles in 2026?

Yes. Dragon Chilling from China became the first team in the history of this championship to win both the Rapid and Blitz titles at the same edition. They won the Rapid title on tiebreaks over Team MGD1, then went undefeated through the Blitz knockout stage to defeat Endgame.AI 4-0 in the Final.

What is the total prize fund for 2026?

EUR 500,000 in total. The Rapid Championship distributes EUR 310,000 (EUR 110,000 to the winner). The Blitz Championship distributes EUR 190,000 (EUR 75,000 to the winner). An additional EUR 25,000 is available through the Amateur Cup.

What were the time controls?

Rapid: 15 minutes per player plus 10-second increment from move one. Blitz: 3 minutes per player plus 2-second increment from move one.

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