European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2027
The European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2027 are scheduled to take place at Terme Čatež, Slovenia, from August 20–25, 2027. The European Chess Union championship brings together young players from ECU member federations for individual Rapid and Blitz competition across six age groups.
Under the current ECU regulations, the championship program is considerably broader than individual Rapid and Blitz alone. It also includes the European Youth Team Rapid Championships, with separate Open and Girls competitions in the U10, U14 and U18 age groups. Altogether, the regulations provide for 24 individual championships and 6 team championships across the festival.
Players can therefore compete for official European youth titles in several formats. Individual Rapid uses a 15+10 time control, individual Blitz uses 3+2, while Team Rapid also uses 15+10. The final 2027 invitation will confirm the detailed daily program, registration deadlines, official accommodation arrangements and any additional awards.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Tournament | European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2027 |
| 📅 Dates | August 20–25, 2027 |
| 📍 Location | Terme Čatež, Slovenia |
| ⚡ Formats | Rapid, Blitz & Team Rapid |
| 👥 Age Groups | U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 & U18 |
| 🧩 Sections | Open & Girls |
| 🔄 System | Swiss |
| ⏱️ Rapid Time Control | 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move |
| ⚡ Blitz Time Control | 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move |
| 🤝 Team Rapid Time Control | 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move |
| 🔢 Rapid Rounds | Minimum 9 |
| 🔢 Blitz Rounds | Minimum 13 |
| 🔢 Team Rapid Rounds | 7 |
| ⭐ Status | Official European Chess Union Championship |
| 🏛️ Organizer | European Chess Union |
| 🏨 Venue | Terme Čatež resort, Čatež ob Savi / Brežice, Slovenia |
| 🌐 Official Website | https://www.europechess.org/ |
| 🆔 FIDE Calendar – Rapid | Event ID 13571 |
| 🆔 FIDE Calendar – Blitz | Event ID 13572 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The championship follows the current European Chess Union Tournament Regulations together with the relevant FIDE rules for Rapid and Blitz chess.
Individual Rapid Championships
Each individual Rapid championship uses:
15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move from move one.
The Rapid competitions take place over two playing days. Moreover, each age and gender section must contain at least 9 Swiss-system rounds, with one game per player in each round.
The organizers distribute the rounds across the two days. According to ECU regulations, the second Rapid day cannot contain more rounds than the first.
Individual Blitz Championships
Each Blitz championship uses:
3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move from move one.
The Blitz competitions take place over one or two playing days and contain at least 13 Swiss-system rounds.
Team Rapid Championships
The Team Rapid competitions use:
15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move from move one.
All Team Rapid championships take place within one day and consist of 7 Swiss-system rounds.
Playing Schedule Rules
The final invitation will establish the precise round times. However, current ECU regulations already provide several structural requirements.
Official championship sessions must fit within the permitted playing schedule. In particular, official play should not start before 10:00 or finish after 20:30.
The organizers will hold the Opening Ceremony on the first day of the championship. Meanwhile, each championship’s Closing Ceremony will take place on the same day as its final round.
Postponement of games is not permitted.
The final 2027 invitation will also specify the applicable tie-break criteria and operational pairing procedures.
🏆 Titles & Awards
The championships award official European Chess Union titles in every eligible section.
Individual Rapid Titles
Champions will receive the respective titles of:
- European Youth Rapid Champion U8
- European Youth Rapid Champion U10
- European Youth Rapid Champion U12
- European Youth Rapid Champion U14
- European Youth Rapid Champion U16
- European Youth Rapid Champion U18
Separate titles apply in all six Girls categories.
Individual Blitz Titles
The winners will receive the corresponding titles of:
- European Youth Blitz Champion U8
- European Youth Blitz Champion U10
- European Youth Blitz Champion U12
- European Youth Blitz Champion U14
- European Youth Blitz Champion U16
- European Youth Blitz Champion U18
Again, ECU awards separate championship titles in every Girls category.
Team Rapid Titles
Team Rapid champions receive the official titles in:
| Championship | Categories |
|---|---|
| 🤝 Open Team Rapid | U10 · U14 · U18 |
| 👧 Girls Team Rapid | U10 · U14 · U18 |
Medals
The organizer awards:
Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to the players or teams finishing first, second and third in every championship.
If players or teams finish tied, the official tie-break procedure determines the medal positions.
In Team Rapid competitions, the organizer may also award individual medals.
No verified 2027 cash prize fund has been published yet. Therefore, no monetary prize amount is shown on this page until the official 2027 invitation confirms one.
🧩 Sections / Groups
The festival includes a comprehensive program of individual and team youth championships.
Individual Rapid
| Section | Age Categories |
|---|---|
| ♟️ Open Rapid | U8 · U10 · U12 · U14 · U16 · U18 |
| 👧 Girls Rapid | U8 · U10 · U12 · U14 · U16 · U18 |
Individual Blitz
| Section | Age Categories |
|---|---|
| ⚡ Open Blitz | U8 · U10 · U12 · U14 · U16 · U18 |
| 👧 Girls Blitz | U8 · U10 · U12 · U14 · U16 · U18 |
Team Rapid
| Section | Age Categories |
|---|---|
| 🤝 Open Team Rapid | U10 · U14 · U18 |
| 👧 Girls Team Rapid | U10 · U14 · U18 |
2027 Age Eligibility
Under ECU regulations, players must not have reached the upper age of their category by January 1 of the championship year.
For the 2027 championships, this means:
| Category | Date of Birth |
|---|---|
| 🧒 U8 | Born on or after January 1, 2019 |
| 🧒 U10 | Born on or after January 1, 2017 |
| 🧒 U12 | Born on or after January 1, 2015 |
| 🧑 U14 | Born on or after January 1, 2013 |
| 🧑 U16 | Born on or after January 1, 2011 |
| 🧑 U18 | Born on or after January 1, 2009 |
The same age limits apply to the corresponding Open and Girls competitions.
🗓️ Schedule
The current FIDE Calendar listing gives the overall championship period as:
August 20–25, 2027
The final ECU invitation has not yet published the exact allocation of Rapid, Blitz and Team Rapid sessions across those dates.
However, the current ECU regulations establish the following competition structure:
| Competition | Required Duration |
|---|---|
| ⚡ Individual Rapid | 2 playing days |
| 🚀 Individual Blitz | 1 or 2 playing days |
| 🤝 Team Rapid | 1 playing day |
| 🎤 Opening Ceremony | First championship day |
| 🏅 Closing Ceremony | Same day as the final round of each championship |
Rapid rounds must be distributed across two days, and the second day may not contain more rounds than the first.
Furthermore, the Team Rapid timetable must fit into the overall championship schedule agreed between the organizer and ECU.
The exact timetable, accreditation period, technical meeting, arrival day and departure arrangements will be added once the organizers publish the official 2027 invitation.
📝 Registration
Participation is open to eligible players representing National Chess Federations that are members of the European Chess Union.
National federations manage championship entries under the ECU regulations.
Individual Entries
Each ECU member federation may register any number of eligible individual players, provided the applicable ECU requirements are met.
The current ECU entry fee for the European Youth Rapid & Blitz Championship is:
€10 per player
This is the standing ECU entry fee. It should not be confused with any additional organizer fees, accommodation packages or other local charges that may appear in the final 2027 invitation.
The ECU regulations also require payment of the applicable full-board and lodging costs for additional participants according to the organizer’s arrangements.
Team Entries
Each federation may register up to three teams in each Team Rapid category.
Open teams consist of:
4 players + optional 1 reserve
Girls teams consist of:
2 players + optional 1 reserve
If a team uses a reserve, ECU regulations allow the reserve to enter the lineup during the lunch interval.
A team may change its lineup only once during the event.
Registration Procedure
The final 2027 invitation will confirm:
- federation registration procedure;
- registration deadline;
- official entry platform or forms;
- payment deadline;
- accreditation requirements;
- accommodation booking procedure; and
- arrival and departure information.
Until those details appear, players should coordinate participation through their national chess federation rather than rely on procedures from earlier editions.
👤 Organizer
Organizer Name: European Chess Union
Email: secretariat@europechess.org
Website: https://www.europechess.org/
The European Chess Union governs the championship under its current tournament regulations.
Slovenia submitted the hosting bid for the European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship 2027 at Terme Čatež. The final 2027 invitation will identify the complete local Organizing Committee, Tournament Director, Chief Arbiter and championship contacts.
📍 Venue
Terme Čatež – Topliška cesta 35, SI-8250 Brežice, Slovenia
The championship is scheduled for Terme Čatež, a major thermal resort in southeastern Slovenia near Brežice and Čatež ob Savi.
Terme Čatež combines hotels, apartments, conference and event facilities, restaurants, sports facilities, wellness services and the resort’s extensive Thermal Riviera. As a result, the location can support both competition activity and a large international youth delegation environment within the same resort complex.
The resort currently offers several accommodation types, including hotels, apartments, mobile homes and other holiday accommodation. However, the championship’s official 2027 hotels, mandatory packages and tournament rates have not yet been published, so players should wait for the ECU invitation before booking accommodation specifically for the championship.
Resort Contact: info@terme-catez.si
Phone: +386 7 493 67 00
Website: https://terme-catez.si/en/
🚆 How to Get There
Terme Čatež lies near Brežice in southeastern Slovenia, close to the Croatian border.
✈️ Via Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia is a practical international gateway for Terme Čatež because of its position southeast of the Slovenian resort.
International players may fly to Zagreb and continue toward Čatež ob Savi / Brežice by road or other regional transport.
Because the journey crosses an international border, families should check current travel-document and transport requirements before departure.
✈️ Via Ljubljana
Ljubljana is Slovenia’s principal international air gateway.
Players arriving through Ljubljana can continue toward Brežice and Terme Čatež by road, rail or a combination of public transport and local transfer.
🚆 Via Brežice
Brežice is the main nearby town and a useful local transport reference point for the resort.
Players using Slovenian rail or regional bus services should plan their journey toward Brežice first, then arrange the final connection to Terme Čatež.
🚗 By Car
Drivers can navigate directly to:
Terme Čatež, Topliška cesta 35, SI-8250 Brežice, Slovenia
The resort is accessible by road and serves visitors from both Slovenia and neighbouring countries.
The organizers have not yet published official championship airport-transfer arrangements. Therefore, participants should not assume that airport transfers will be included until the final invitation confirms them.
ℹ️ Other Information
🌍 International Championship Structure
The European Youth Rapid & Blitz Championships form part of the official ECU competition program and attract youth delegations from across Europe.
The ECU bidding documentation originally estimated approximately 300 participants for the championship. This figure represents an organizational planning estimate rather than a participation limit.
Because national federations may register multiple players in each individual category, the eventual field can vary substantially.
🤝 Team Rapid Format
The Team Rapid championships add an important national-team component to the festival.
Open teams compete with four playing boards, while Girls teams use two playing boards. In addition, each team may nominate one reserve player.
Federations may enter up to three teams per category, subject to the current ECU regulations and the final organizer procedures.
🏅 Thirty Championship Categories
Under the current ECU rulebook, the festival contains:
- 12 individual Rapid championships
- 12 individual Blitz championships
- 6 Team Rapid championships
Therefore, the complete program provides 30 separate European championship titles across age, gender and format categories.
⏱️ Playing Conditions
The championship follows the FIDE Laws of Chess and the ECU regulations applicable to Rapid and Blitz play.
Individual Rapid uses 15+10, while individual Blitz uses 3+2. Team Rapid also uses 15+10.
No game postponements are allowed.
🛡️ Fair Play
As an official ECU championship, the event falls under the relevant ECU Fair Play and Anti-Cheating framework together with applicable FIDE regulations.
Players, coaches and accompanying persons should follow all accreditation, playing-area and electronic-device instructions published in the final championship regulations.
🧑🤝🧑 Federations & Delegations
Families planning to attend should contact their national federation well in advance.
Federations will need to coordinate player entries, team nominations, official delegation details and any accommodation obligations once the final invitation becomes available.
This is particularly important for countries entering several age groups or multiple Team Rapid teams.
📌 Final Invitation
The complete 2027 invitation and regulations have not yet been published.
Consequently, the following details remain subject to the final organizer announcement:
- exact daily schedule;
- specific playing hall;
- registration deadline;
- local organizer fee, if any;
- accommodation packages and rates;
- airport transfers;
- accreditation procedure;
- Tournament Director and arbiter team;
- tie-break criteria; and
- additional material or cash prizes.
Players and federations should use the final ECU invitation as the definitive source once it becomes available.
🌐 Official Resources
European Chess Union:
https://www.europechess.org/
ECU Tournament Regulations:
https://www.europechess.org/regulations/tournament-regulations/
Terme Čatež:
https://terme-catez.si/en/
Organizer
♟️ About European Chess Union
European Chess Union (ECU) is the continental chess organization for Europe. Founded in Graz, Austria, on August 30, 1985, it is an independent association headquartered in Hünenberg See, Switzerland. ECU represents 54 national chess federations and holds the exclusive right to organize the official European Chess Championships. Its work covers elite competition, youth and senior chess, club events, education, arbiters, trainers, development, women’s chess, and institutional relations across the continent.
ECU organizes more than 20 major championships and events each year. Its portfolio includes the European Individual Championship, European Women’s Championship, European Team Championship, European Club Cups, European Youth Championships, European Senior Championships, European Rapid and Blitz Championships, school events, amateur competitions, and youth team tournaments. Moreover, ECU licenses and supports arbiters and trainers, develops chess-education programs, and works with national federations on tournament standards and long-term development.
GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili is the current President of the European Chess Union. He was re-elected in July 2026 for the 2026–2030 term. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou serves as Secretary General and is the principal administrative contact for the organization. During 2026, ECU introduced a new rulebook, staged record-breaking championships, elected a new administration, secured major development funding, and launched the new European Chess Superleague.
📜 History and Development
The European Chess Union was founded during the 1985 FIDE Congress in Graz. Representatives from 29 countries attended the founding meeting. The initiative aimed to create a unified European structure within international chess while bringing together federations from both Western and Eastern Europe.
In the years that followed, ECU steadily expanded its tournament program and institutional role. After the political changes of the early 1990s, many more European federations joined the organization.
The ECU later gained greater financial and administrative independence. Today, it represents 54 national federation members and serves a chess community that ECU estimates at more than eight million players and enthusiasts.
In 2025, ECU celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gala in Batumi, Georgia. The organization also published a historical volume dedicated to Europe’s chess legacy and honored individuals and federations that contributed to its development.
🏆 European Championships
ECU manages the official championship structure for European chess. Its events cover individual, team, club, youth, junior, senior, amateur, school, rapid, blitz, and specialized formats.
The European Individual Chess Championship 2026 in Katowice set a new participation record. The event attracted 501 players from 43 European federations and offered a €100,000 prize fund.
Meanwhile, the European Senior Championship in Italy attracted nearly 250 players from 34 federations. The European Senior Team Championship later took place in Hersonissos, Crete.
Several major ECU competitions remain scheduled for the final months of 2026. The European Open and Women’s Chess Club Cups will take place in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, from October 16–24. In addition, the European Youth Chess Championships are scheduled for November 2–13 in Hersonissos, Crete.
The year will conclude with the European Rapid, Blitz and Fischer Random Championships in Portimão, Portugal, from December 4–9.
🎓 Youth, Education and Development
Youth chess forms a major part of ECU’s annual program. The organization manages championships for age categories from U8 through U18, youth team competitions, junior U20 events, school chess, and European Union youth championships.
In 2026, ECU also restored the European Junior U20 Championship, which took place in Cetinje, Montenegro. The event strengthened the competitive pathway between youth chess and senior international competition.
Education is another major priority. ECU operates training and education programs for teachers, trainers, and federation officials. Its initiatives include the ECU Training Hub and structured Chess in Education projects.
Furthermore, the organization supports national federations through development programs, seminars, regulatory guidance, and specialist commissions. These commissions cover areas such as education, trainers, women’s chess, arbiters, events, social chess, and Olympic affairs.
🌍 2026 Development and European Chess Superleague
The year 2026 marked a significant expansion of ECU’s commercial and development activity.
In August, ECU signed two agreements with Super Foundation totaling €800,000. Of this amount, €500,000 supports the new European Chess Superleague, while €300,000 is dedicated to ECU development projects.
The European Chess Superleague will debut in Bucharest from February 2–10, 2027. Eight elite club teams will compete in a round-robin format, with a guaranteed €300,000 prize fund.
Additionally, the 2026 ECU Board created a new Olympic Affairs Commission. Its work focuses on closer alignment with the Olympic movement, cooperation with National Olympic Committees, and future European Games opportunities.
🏛️ Organization and Leadership
The ECU General Assembly and elections took place in Bucharest on July 18, 2026, with 53 federations participating.
Zurab Azmaiparashvili’s ticket won the election with 35 votes. Lukasz Turlej’s ticket received 11 votes, while Bachar Kouatly’s received seven.
The new 2026–2030 administration includes Vlad Ardeleanu as Deputy President, Ingrid Lauterbach and Lasse Østebø Løvik as Vice Presidents, Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou as Secretary General, and Prabitha Urwyler as Treasurer.
Additional elected Vice Presidents are Sarkhan Gashimov, Jean-Michel Rapaire, and Roman Muzik. The new Board formally began its work in August 2026.
Hotels Near the Venue
Find nearby accommodation for this tournament location.
