The 44th Millennium Cup 2026 – FIDE Rapid Chess Tournament will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Chess Club Capablanca97 organizes the event together with CM Iliyan Popov and supporting partners, while Sassy Restaurant hosts the tournament inside Millennium Center.

The competition features 9 rounds of FIDE-rated rapid chess in one Open Swiss-system section. Each player receives 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move, creating a fast and dynamic one-day format.

The tournament offers a €500 total cash prize fund (approx. $570) when at least 50 players participate. In addition, juniors can compete for medals, a trophy and T-shirts, while women, veterans and players rated below 2000 have separate cash-prize opportunities.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The 44th Millennium Cup uses a 9-round Swiss system. Therefore, all players compete in the same Open field throughout the day.

Each participant receives:

10 minutes + 5 seconds increment per move from move one.

The event counts for FIDE Rapid rating. Moreover, the tournament team uses Swiss-Manager for pairings, standings and results.

Tie-Break Criteria

If players finish with the same number of points, the organizers apply the following criteria:

1. Points
2. Buchholz Cut 1
3. Buchholz
4. Number of Wins

Chess-Results publishes the current starting list, pairings and final standings. Therefore, players should check the official tournament page during the event for the latest information.

🏆 Prize Fund

The tournament offers a €500 cash prize fund, provided that at least 50 players participate.

Overall Prizes

Special Cash Prizes

Junior Prizes

Young players also compete for medals and additional material awards.

Additional Material Prizes

The regulations also list T-shirts for several category winners.

The organizers guarantee the published prize structure when the tournament reaches at least 50 participants.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The tournament has one Open playing section. Adults, juniors, rated players and players without an existing FIDE ID can all participate in the same Swiss-system competition.

However, several special categories provide additional prize opportunities. These categories affect awards only and do not create separate tournaments.

The special categories include:

• Under 2000
• Women
• Veterans 65+
• Under 8
• Under 10
• Under 12
• Under 14
• Under 16
• Under 18

As a result, younger players can compete in the main standings while also aiming for age-category medals and awards.

🗓️ Schedule

Sunday, October 25, 2026

During the morning check-in, players enter the tournament hall and verify their details on the participant lists.

The organizers announce the Round 1 pairings during the 10:50 technical meeting. Therefore, participants should complete check-in before that time.

The first round begins at 11:00. Afterwards, the tournament continues through the compact nine-round program, with a lunch break at 13:30.

Finally, the organizers plan the closing and prize-giving ceremony for 17:15.

📝 Registration

The participation fee is:

€25

The fee includes both the tournament organization and lunch.

Registration Deadline

Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 18:00

Players should send registration requests to:

Email: ste.vas@abv.bg
Phone: +359 896 631 643

Required Information

Players who already have a FIDE ID should provide:

• FIDE ID
• First and last name
• Year of birth

Players without a FIDE ID should provide:

• Full three-part name
• Exact date of birth

Because the deadline falls on the evening before the tournament, participants should register in advance rather than relying on tournament-day entry.

The 10:15–10:50 period on October 25 is for check-in and verification of the participant lists.

👤 Organizer

Organizer Name: Chess Club “Capablanca97”
Contact Person: CM Iliyan Popov – Tournament Director
Email: ste.vas@abv.bg
Phone: +359 878 190 781

Chess Club “Capablanca97” organizes the Millennium Cup together with tournament partners and friends.

FA Georgi Bednikov serves as Chief Arbiter. For registration enquiries, players can also use the published tournament contact number +359 896 631 643.

Sassy Restaurant supports the event by providing the playing venue and hosting the tournament inside Millennium Center.

📍 Venue

Millennium Center – 89B Vitosha Blvd., level -2, Sassy Restaurant, Sofia 1463, Bulgaria

Millennium Center stands on Vitosha Boulevard in central Sofia, close to the National Palace of Culture area.

Players should enter the Millennium Center and proceed to level -2, where Sassy Restaurant hosts the playing hall.

The central location gives participants convenient access to metro services, taxis and other public transport. Moreover, restaurants, cafés and city-center services lie nearby.

🚆 How to Get There

🚇 By Metro

The most convenient metro stop for the venue is National Palace of Culture / NDK.

From NDK, players can continue toward Millennium Center on Vitosha Boulevard.

✈️ From Sofia Airport

Sofia Airport Terminal 2 connects directly to Sofia’s metro network.

Players can take Metro Line M4 from Sofia Airport toward the city center and travel to Serdika. Then, they can transfer to M2 at Serdika II and travel one stop to National Palace of Culture / NDK.

The metro journey to the NDK area takes roughly 30–40 minutes, depending on waiting and transfer time.

After reaching NDK, participants can continue to Millennium Center on foot or by a short taxi ride.

🚆 From Sofia Central Railway Station

The Central Railway Station connects directly to Metro Line M2.

Players can take M2 toward the city center and continue to National Palace of Culture / NDK. Therefore, visitors arriving by intercity train can reach the tournament area without using a car.

🚌 From Sofia Central Bus Station

The Central Bus Station sits beside the railway station and metro connection.

From there, players can use M2 toward NDK or continue by taxi.

🚕 By Taxi or Car

Drivers and taxi passengers should use:

Millennium Center, 89B Vitosha Blvd., Sofia

After arriving, players should enter the building and continue to level -2, Sassy Restaurant.

ℹ️ Other Information

🍽️ Lunch

The €25 participation fee includes lunch.

The tournament schedule includes a lunch break at 13:30, and the organizers provide the meal as part of the tournament package.

As a result, players can remain at the venue throughout the one-day competition.

⭐ FIDE Rapid Rating

The event counts for FIDE Rapid rating.

Therefore, the tournament results can affect the international rapid ratings of eligible participants.

Players without an existing FIDE ID can still submit a registration request. They should provide their complete three-part name and date of birth so the tournament team can process their entry correctly.

⚖️ Tournament Officials

Tournament Director: CM Iliyan Popov
Chief Arbiter: FA Georgi Bednikov

The tournament team uses Swiss-Manager to handle pairings and results.

🏆 Millennium Cup Series

The Millennium Cup is a recurring Sofia rapid tournament series.

The October event represents the 44th running of the Millennium Cup, following the 43rd edition held in September 2026.

The series uses a recognizable one-day format with nine FIDE-rated rapid rounds, a central Sofia venue and prize categories for both overall and special-category performances.

📌 Regulations

The organizers reserve the right to amend the tournament regulations when necessary.

Therefore, participants should follow any final instructions announced during check-in and the technical meeting.

🌐 Official Information

Official Website:
https://millenniumcup.netlify.app/?lang=en

Chess-Results:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1507099.aspx

Registration Email:
ste.vas@abv.bg

Registration Phone:
+359 896 631 643

Tournament Director:
CM Iliyan Popov – +359 878 190 781