22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival
22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival will take place from October 18 to 25, 2026, in Chefchaouen, Morocco. This international chess tournament brings players to one of Morocco’s most distinctive cities for a full week of classical over-the-board chess.
The event uses a 9-round Swiss system and is registered as a standard FIDE-rated tournament. Players will compete with a classical time control of 90 minutes for the game plus 30 seconds increment from move one.
The festival is organized by Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs, a Chefchaouen-based chess association that promotes chess locally and internationally. As a result, the event combines serious rated competition with the cultural setting of Morocco’s famous “Blue City.”
🗓️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | October 18–25, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Chefchaouen, Morocco |
| 🏛️ Venue | Mohammed VI Complex for Culture, Sport and Arts |
| ♟️ Format | 9-round Swiss system |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE-rated standard tournament |
| 🏁 Sections | One open tournament |
| ⏱️ Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 |
| 🔢 Capacity | 120 players |
| 👤 Organizer | Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs |
| 👥 Chief Organizer | Mouad Ben El Amin Alami |
| 🧑⚖️ Chief Arbiter | Othman Sebbar |
| 🧾 FIDE Event Code | 480387 |
| 🌐 Official Website | https://alwanfannia.net/ |
| 🧾 FIDE Calendar | https://calendar.fide.com/calendar.php?id=17665 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament uses a Swiss system across nine classical rounds. Each player receives 90 minutes for the game, with a 30-second increment from move one.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| System | Swiss system |
| Rounds | 9 |
| Time Control | 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move 1 |
| Rating Calculation | FIDE standard rating |
| Chief Arbiter | Othman Sebbar |
| Chief Organizer | Mouad Ben El Amin Alami |
| Player Capacity | 120 players |
This format gives players a full tournament schedule and enough rounds to compete for a meaningful final standing.
Because the event is FIDE-rated, players should make sure their FIDE details are correct before registration. In addition, players should follow the organizer’s official instructions before travel and before the first round.
📂 Sections / Groups
The festival is listed as one open standard tournament.
| Section | Information |
|---|---|
| Main Tournament | One open FIDE-rated section |
| Format | 9-round Swiss system |
| Rating | FIDE standard |
| Capacity | 120 players |
| Event Type | Over-the-board classical chess |
The tournament is suitable for titled players, club players, improving players, and international participants who want a full classical chess event in Morocco.
The single open format allows players from different countries and rating levels to compete in the same main tournament field.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| October 18–25, 2026 | 9-round FIDE-rated Swiss tournament |
The tournament runs across eight days in Chefchaouen. Therefore, players should plan accommodation and travel for a full festival week.
Players should follow the organizer’s latest communication for round times, check-in details, and any side activities connected with the festival.
📝 Registration
Players should register through the official organizer channels.
| Registration Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official Website | https://alwanfannia.net/ |
| alwanfannia1977@gmail.com | |
| Festival Email | festival18.chefchaouen@gmail.com |
| Phone | +212623694212 |
The organizer handles festival registration through its official channels. Players should contact the festival team early, especially if they need entry confirmation, travel guidance, or local information before arrival.
👥 Organizer
| Organizer Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs |
| Chief Organizer | Mouad Ben El Amin Alami |
| alwanfannia1977@gmail.com | |
| Festival Email | festival18.chefchaouen@gmail.com |
| Phone | +212623694212 |
| Website | https://alwanfannia.net/ |
Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs organizes the 22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival. The association is based in Chefchaouen and works to promote chess at local and international levels.
The organizer presents the Chefchaouen festival as an annual international event that brings players together for competition, cultural exchange, and chess development. In addition, the association runs chess activities, courses, workshops, local tournaments, international events, and community initiatives.
The festival gives Chefchaouen a strong place on the Moroccan chess map and offers international players a tournament experience in one of the country’s most recognizable cultural destinations.
📍 Venue
Mohammed VI Complex for Culture, Sport and Arts – 5P9H+Q8, Chefchaouen, Morocco.
The tournament takes place in Chefchaouen, a mountain city in northern Morocco known for its blue-painted old town and strong cultural identity.
Players should use the full venue name and address when planning their route to the playing hall.
🏨 Accommodation
Chefchaouen offers hotels, guesthouses, riads, and small local stays across the city.
Players may look for accommodation near the city center or within practical distance of the Mohammed VI Complex for Culture, Sport and Arts. Staying close to the venue can reduce daily travel time during the full tournament week.
Early booking is recommended for international players and visitors who want convenient access to the playing hall.
🚆 How to Get There
| Travel Option | Information |
|---|---|
| Nearby Major City | Tangier |
| Nearby Regional City | Tétouan |
| By Road | Travel to Chefchaouen by car, taxi, or regional bus |
| By Car | Use the full venue address for navigation |
| Local Transport | Taxi and local transfer options operate in Chefchaouen |
Chefchaouen is located in northern Morocco. Players arriving from outside the country can usually travel through major Moroccan cities such as Tangier or Tétouan and continue by road to Chefchaouen.
Players arriving by car should use the full venue address:
Mohammed VI Complex for Culture, Sport and Arts – 5P9H+Q8, Chefchaouen, Morocco.
ℹ️ Other Information
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Event Type | Standard chess |
| Rating | FIDE-rated |
| FIDE Event Code | 480387 |
| Format | Swiss system |
| Capacity | 120 players |
| Organizer Website | https://alwanfannia.net/ |
The 22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival offers players a full FIDE-rated classical tournament in one of Morocco’s most attractive destinations.
Join the 22nd Chefchaouen International Chess Festival 2026 in Chefchaouen and play a week of international classical chess in Morocco.
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs is a chess association based in Chefchaouen, Morocco. The association has deep roots in Moroccan chess and promotes over-the-board chess through local activity, training, community projects, and international tournament organization.
The association works from Chefchaouen, one of Morocco’s most recognizable cultural destinations. Its chess activity connects local players, young talents, experienced competitors, and visiting international players. Therefore, Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs offers a distinctive chess identity that combines serious competition with the cultural atmosphere of the “Blue Pearl” of Morocco.
The organizer’s mission focuses on developing chess at both local and international levels. It supports courses, workshops, local tournaments, community activity, and events that bring players from different countries to Chefchaouen. As a result, the association has become one of the important chess organizers in northern Morocco.
🏆 Chess Events and Activities
Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs is best known for the Chefchaouen International Chess Festival. This annual festival brings together players from Morocco and abroad for FIDE-rated competition, cultural activities, and chess exchange in Chefchaouen. The event has become the association’s flagship project and a major part of its public chess identity.
The festival usually includes a classical international open, blitz activity, youth events, simultaneous exhibitions, and cultural programs. The 2025 edition included a FIDE-rated classical tournament, an international blitz event, and a youth simultaneous exhibition. This structure gives players several ways to participate, from serious classical games to faster formats and community chess activity.
The association also supports national and local chess life through regular events and participation in Moroccan chess competitions. Its activity includes tournaments, team competition, youth development, and public chess promotion. Moreover, the association’s events help promote Chefchaouen as a destination for chess tournaments in Morocco.
🌍 Player Experience and Community
Players who join Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs events can expect a competitive and welcoming chess environment. The organizer combines tournament structure with cultural experience, giving players the chance to compete while discovering Chefchaouen’s unique setting.
The Chefchaouen International Chess Festival is especially attractive for players who want more than a standard tournament hall experience. Participants can play rated games, meet players from different countries, and enjoy the town’s historic streets, mountain atmosphere, and local hospitality. This makes the event suitable for club players, titled players, juniors, families, and traveling chess enthusiasts.
For players searching for chess in Chefchaouen, chess tournaments in Morocco, or an international chess festival with a strong cultural identity, Association Alwan Fannia d’Échecs offers a reliable regional option. Its mix of local development, international events, youth activity, community outreach, and cultural promotion gives the organizer a clear role in Moroccan chess.
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