The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has approved a major overhaul of the World Cup and Women’s World Cup formats from 2027, aiming to make the tournaments shorter, more inclusive and more rewarding for players.The biggest change is that both events will last 19 days instead of 27. Instead of going straight to the knockout, players will first compete in a Swiss-system qualification stage before the traditional knockout rounds begin. The opening stage sees players split into a separate Swiss pool, where everyone can play multiple games. The revised format begins with the Swiss-system qualifiers using a 45-minute clock and 30-second increments per step. The top performers from each pool will advance to the 16-player knockout stage, which will continue the familiar format using classical time controls.FIDE also expanded the size of both tournaments. The Open World Cup will grow from 206 to 224 players, while the Women’s World Cup will increase from 103 to 128 players.New qualification routes have also been introduced. Along with the continental qualification spots, players can now qualify through the FIDE Grand Swiss, FIDE Circuit, the Total Chess World Championship and as the highest rated senior player. Continental representation has also been increased, with more qualifying places for each region.
Bigger prize pool, shorter tournament
FIDE has increased the combined prize fund for both events from USD 2.67 million in 2025 to USD 3.3 million in 2027. The prize money will continue to be distributed among each participant, with players who finish lower in the standings receiving higher payouts than before, while the winner’s prize remains unchanged.Explaining the changes, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said, “The new format is designed to preserve the unique identity of the FIDE World Cup while adapting it to the evolving needs of modern chess. We believe that the combination of Swiss qualification and knockout finals will provide a more engaging experience for players and fans.”ALSO READ: India gets its 98th GM! Both parents are chess coaches, 10th board exam forced to take a break. The making of Aswath S:He added, “At the same time, we are making the FIDE World Cups more inclusive than ever… With these changes, the FIDE World Cup and FIDE Women’s World Cup will remain one of the most watched competitions in international chess while continuing to serve as a key gateway to the World Championship cycle for players from every corner of the world.”