The Play-in stage for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship starts on January 14 on Chess.com. Matches begin at 3:00 PM UTC. The Play-In tournament features a $5,000 prize fund.

The event uses Nine-round Swiss system with a 10+2 time control and opened for verified titled players. The top-four players advance to the Knockout Stage with Single-elimination knockout and a 15+3 time control. The winner of the Play-in qualifies for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship.

The first official FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship will be held in Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13 to 15, 2026. The event is governed by FIDE in collaboration with Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH, marking the first joint World Championship title in 960 format under a formal agreement.

Credit: Freestyle Chess/Stev Bonhage