Doha, Qatar: The Local Organizing Committee of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships today announced the final organizational preparations ahead of the tournament's kickoff, which will be hosted by Qatar University at the Sports and Events Complex from December 25 to 31.
Speaking at a press conference, President of the Qatar Chess Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Mohammed Al Mudahka confirmed that all preparations for the global event have been completed. He stated that the Open World Blitz Championship will feature 233 players, while the World Rapid Championship will see the participation of 230 players.
Al Mudahka highlighted the participation of Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen, who won the gold medal in the previous World Blitz Championship held in New York, noting that his presence adds significant competitive and technical value to the tournament.
He added that a number of the world's leading chess stars have confirmed their participation, including Indian World Rapid Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, reigning 2024 World Blitz Champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, as well as Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, R Praggnanandhaa, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Ediz Gurel, in addition to Russian grandmaster Alexander Grischuk and Ukrainian grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk, the winner of World Rapid Chess title in Doha 2016.
The President of the Qatar Chess Federation noted that Doha has become the only city to host the World Rapid and Blitz Championships twice, following the first edition in 2016. He described this as a major achievement that reflects Qatar's growing stature on the global chess map, particularly with the tournament's return to Doha after nine years.
Al Mudahka expressed appreciation for the support of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam), as well as all partners and sponsors, emphasizing the shared objective of delivering an outstanding edition that contributes to the development of chess in Qatar and strengthens its international presence. He stressed that the federation continues to raise organizational and technical standards to ensure this edition is the best to date.
In the same context, the Organizing Committee signed several sponsorship agreements in the presence of Yousuf Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director of Shared Services at the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam), Eng. Hamoud Al Hajri, Director of Sports Facilities at Qatar University, along with representatives of partners and sponsors.
The committee also announced the participation of several emerging talents, including Russian grandmaster Ivan Zemlyanskii (15 years old), Turkish prodigy Yagız Kaan Erdogmus (14 years old), and Uzbek International Master Mohammad Zahid Suyarov (16 years old).
In the women's competitions, five-time Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun of China officially confirmed her participation. The women's field will include 130 players, featuring many of the world's top-ranked players, such as China's Tan Zhongyi, world No. 2, Russian grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Anna Muzychuk, winner of both the Rapid and Blitz titles in Doha in 2016, alongside her sister Mariya Muzychuk and Russian grandmaster Kateryna Lagno.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Executive Director of the Qatar Chess Federation and Tournament Director, Hamad Al Tamimi said that the organizing committee is putting the final touches in place ahead of the event's launch. He pointed to strong demand for tickets and anticipated wide audience engagement, with the championships to be broadcast across multiple international chess platforms and websites.
Al Tamimi added that the tournament offers an important opportunity for young players to follow elite global chess stars up close, encouraging new generations to take up the game and develop their skills toward professional levels.
For his part, Director of Sports Facilities at Qatar University, Eng. Hamoud Al Hajri confirmed the full readiness of the Sports and Events Complex to host the championships. He emphasized that every effort is being made to deliver an exceptional edition, noting that staging the competition on campus will have a positive impact on students and contribute to promoting chess culture while leaving a sustainable sporting legacy.
Doha last hosted the championships in 2016, when Vasyl Ivanchuk won the World Rapid title and Sergey Karjakin claimed the World Blitz crown. The total prize fund for the upcoming edition exceeds EUR 1 million, distributed across the open and women's competitions.
