FIDE and Norway Chess have confirmed the qualification criteria for the 2026 Total Chess World Championship Tour. The pilot event will feature 24 players selected through multiple paths, including world champions, rapid and blitz medalists, and classical rating leaders.

The main qualification paths are:

1–2. The reigning World Champions, Gukesh Dommaraju and Ju Wenjun

3–5. The three medalists of the 2025 World Rapid Championship

6–7. The finalists of the 2025 World Blitz Championship

8–16. The top nine players in the classical rating list as of January 1, 2026

17–18. The winners of the 2026 Candidates and the 2026 Women’s Candidates

19–21. The top three players in the classical rating list as of June 1, 2026 (excluding those already qualified)

22–24. FIDE Circuit / FIDE Open Circuit (special ranking, including only open events)

The Total Chess World Championship Tour will debut a combined world title across Fast Classic (45+30), Rapid, and Blitz formats. The circuit will feature an annual prize pool of $2.7 million, with $750,000 for each of the first three events and $450,000 for the Finals.

Credit: FIDE