GM Hou Yifan and GM Bibisara Assaubayeva will play a Chess960 exhibition match during the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship from February 13 to 15, 2026, in Weissenhaus.

Following the match, the tournament organizers will hold a preview of the planned FIDE Women’s Freestyle Chess World Championship, which will take place later in 2026.

Hou Yifan (2613) is a Chinese GM, four-time Women’s World Champion and the second-highest rated female player of all time. Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (2497) was the only female player to compete in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas. She finished in 13th-16th place, earning a $7,500 prize.