The 14th and the final day of the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus has concluded. After 14 rounds, Vaishali Rameshbabu scored 5 wins and 7 draws to win the tournament with 8.5/14 points. Rameshbabu is 0.5 points ahead of the runner-up Bibisara Assaubayeva.

🇮🇳 Vaishali Rameshbabu becomes a candidate for the Women’s World Championship title. Vaishali will face reigning Women’s World Champion 🇨🇳 Ju Wenjun at the end of 2026.

The final standings are:

Place Player Score
1. 🇮🇳 GM Vaishali R 8.5
2. 🇰🇿 GM Bibisara Assaubayeva 8
3. 🇨🇳 GM Zhu Jiner 7.5
4. 🇷🇺 GM Aleksandra Goryachkina 7.5
5. 🇺🇦 GM Anna Muzychuk 7
6. 🇷🇺 GM Kateryna Lagno 6.5
7. 🇮🇳 GM Divya Deshmukh 5.5
8. 🇨🇳 GM Tan Zhongyi 5.5

The FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 takes place from March 28 to April 16, at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. The event features a 90+0 time control for the first 40 moves and 30+30 for the rest of the game over double Round-Robin between 8 players.

Credit: Michal Walusza / FIDE