The Asian Schools Teams Chess Championship 2026, held April 6-11, 2026 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, launches the new continental-stage pathway of the World Schools Team Championship cycle. The event brings together school teams that represent a single general educational institution and compete on four boards in a true team-match format that rewards both depth and lineup strategy. It targets school players born in the 2012–2018 window and emphasizes balanced participation across genders while keeping the focus on over-the-board competition.

This continental stage runs as an 8-round Swiss team tournament with fixed board order, clear match-point standings, and strict eligibility controls enforced through national federations. Teams submit round lineups in advance, manage reserve usage, and play fast-paced classical games designed for school competition. The winning school earns the continental title and moves one step closer to the Grand Final pathway within the World Schools Team Championship structure.

🗓️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The event uses an 8-round Swiss team system played over four days, with two rounds per day. Each match features four boards, and the first-named team in a pairing takes White on odd-numbered boards and Black on even-numbered boards. Teams must keep a fixed board order for the full tournament, which the captain submits no later than the end of the technical meeting; teams do not need to sort boards by rating.

Captains submit the lineup for each round no later than 30 minutes before the round. If a captain misses the deadline, the arbiters treat the team as fielding the first main players in the pre-submitted order. Teams may only forfeit boards starting from the lowest board upward. The default time is 10 minutes; a late arrival after the default time loses the game unless the arbiter decides otherwise.

Match standings use match points: 2 for a match win, 1 for a match draw (or a pairing-allocated bye), and 0 for a match loss. Tie-breaks apply in this order when teams finish on the same match points: Extended Direct Encounter, Extended Sonneborn-Berger for Teams (EMGSB Cut-1), Match Points vs Game Points, then Buchholz Cut-1.

📂 Sections / Groups

This event runs as one open continental stage for eligible school teams representing a single general educational institution, with teams registered through their national chess federations.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

National federations must register teams and complete the official online registration, accommodation, and travel form by the deadline announced for the Continental stage. Federations submit entries on behalf of teams; the event does not accept individual applications. Teams entering via Wild Card slots may register directly through the Organizer under the conditions defined for Wild Cards.

Teams must represent a single school (a general educational institution). National federations must confirm that participating players study at the school they represent during the 2025–2026 school year. If officials find an ineligible player, the team and its players face disqualification and forfeit any prizes; the school and federation may also face bans from future editions, with potential escalation to FIDE disciplinary bodies.

👥 Organizer

FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF) jointly run the World Schools Team Championship cycle, with the host federation and continental bodies supporting delivery at the continental-stage level. The Asian Continental stage in Almaty serves as the first regional step in the 2026 format, where school teams compete for the continental title and pathway qualification.

• Email: worldschoolteam@fide.com

• Website: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/

🏨 Venue

Almaty, Kazakhstan (venue details for the playing hall and full address are announced through the official stage invitation). The Organizers prepare and equip the playing venue to meet FIDE technical requirements and run opening and closing ceremonies under FIDE protocol.

🛎️ Accommodation

The Organizer provides support packages for selected categories of participants, which may include travel, full-board accommodation, and local transport. The first 20 teams registered in full compliance through national federations receive support that includes full-board accommodation and economy-class flights for four team members, plus airport and local transfers. Additional supported categories include Wild Card teams nominated by the FIDE Events Commission, Wild Card teams nominated by the relevant Continental Federation, and one host-federation team under the stated conditions.

Accommodation is primarily delivered through on-campus or equivalent housing at the venue, or via an official hotel if needed. Official hotel name, booking link, and room rates (including breakfast) are provided in the Continental stage invitation. The Organizer also provides airport transfers and local transportation free of charge for participants and tournament officials.

🚗 How to Get There

Travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and plan arrival within the official arrival window announced for the stage. The Organizers provide transfers to and from the airport and local transportation for participants under the event’s transport provisions.

A strong school lineup and disciplined match strategy can turn one great week in Almaty into a continental title and a direct route into the top tier of the 2026 schools team circuit.