European Women’s Chess Championship 2026
25th European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 will take place from May 24-June 6, 2026, in Batumi, Georgia. This is a chess tournament in Batumi, Georgia, in 2026.
The championship offers an international FIDE-rated classical chess tournament with 11 Swiss-system rounds. It forms part of the FIDE Women’s World Championship cycle and awards qualification places for the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
The event suits national federations, elite women chess players, coaches, officials, and visitors following top-level European chess. In addition, the hotel-based venue gives players accommodation, meals, and the playing hall within the same complex.
♟️ Event Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🏷️ Tournament | 25th European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 |
| 📅 Dates | May 24–June 6, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Batumi, Georgia |
| 🏨 Venue | Euphoria Batumi Convention & Casino Hotel, 1 Lech and Maria Kaczynski Street, 6001 Batumi, Georgia |
| ♟️ Format | Classical European women’s championship |
| 🌍 Rating | FIDE-rated |
| 🔢 Rounds | 11 |
| 🧩 Pairing system | Swiss system |
| ⏱️ Time control | 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1 |
| ⏳ Default time | 15 minutes |
| 👥 Eligibility | Women players registered through ECU member federations |
| 🏆 Prize fund | €60,000, approximately US$69,600 |
| 🎯 Qualification | At least 10 qualification spots for the FIDE Women’s World Cup |
| ♟️ Chess-Results | Tournament listing available |
| 🏛️ Organizer | European Chess Union and Georgian Chess Federation |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The championship uses a classical time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves. After that, each player receives 30 minutes for the rest of the game. In addition, a 30-second increment applies from move 1.
Pairings follow the Swiss system across 11 rounds. The event counts for international rating and uses Swiss-Manager for tournament administration.
The default time is 15 minutes after the scheduled start of each round. Therefore, players should arrive early and stay ready before each game begins.
Tie-breaks start with direct encounter results between tied players. Then Buchholz Cut 1, Buchholz, number of games with black, and number of wins apply.
🏆 Prize Fund
The championship has a confirmed prize fund of €60,000, approximately US$69,600. The prize list covers the top 20 places in the overall ranking.
| Prize Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1st place | €10,000 |
| 2nd place | €8,000 |
| 3rd place | €7,000 |
| 4th place | €6,000 |
| 5th place | €5,000 |
| 6th place | €4,000 |
| 7th place | €3,000 |
| 8th place | €2,000 |
| 9th place | €1,500 |
| 10th place | €1,500 |
| 11th place | €1,500 |
| 12th place | €1,500 |
| 13th place | €1,500 |
| 14th place | €1,500 |
| 15th place | €1,000 |
| 16th place | €1,000 |
| 17th place | €1,000 |
| 18th place | €1,000 |
| 19th place | €1,000 |
| 20th place | €1,000 |
👥 Sections / Groups
Championship Section
The 25th European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 runs as one championship section. Each ECU member federation may register unlimited women players.
World Cup Qualification
The championship gives at least 10 qualification spots for the FIDE Women’s World Cup. FIDE Women’s World Cup regulations determine the final qualification rules.
📅 Schedule
| Date | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2026 | — | Arrival day |
| May 24, 2026 | 21:00 | Technical meeting |
| May 25, 2026 | 14:40 | Opening ceremony |
| May 25, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 1 |
| May 26, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 2 |
| May 27, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 3 |
| May 28, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 4 |
| May 29, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 5 |
| May 30, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 6 |
| May 31, 2026 | — | Rest day |
| June 1, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 7 |
| June 2, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 8 |
| June 3, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 9 |
| June 4, 2026 | 15:00 | Round 10 |
| June 5, 2026 | 12:00 | Round 11 |
| June 5, 2026 | 20:00 | Closing ceremony |
| June 6, 2026 | — | Departure day |
📝 Registration
| Registration Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Registration method | Registration through ECU member federations |
| Registration deadline | April 10, 2026 |
| Registration fee | €120 for each player, official, and accompanying person |
| ECU fee | GM, IM, FM, WGM, WIM, and WFM players: €65; all other players: €130 |
| Late registration | Late registration may require a €200 penalty if places remain available |
| Required form | Complete registration, accommodation, and travel form |
| Payment process | National federations receive invoices after the organizer approves submitted forms |
| Hotel reservation deadline | April 10, 2026 |
🏛️ Organizer
Organizer: European Chess Union and Georgian Chess Federation
The European Chess Union and Georgian Chess Federation organize the 25th European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 in Batumi. The championship brings Europe’s leading women players together for a major classical event in the FIDE Women’s World Championship cycle.
Email: chessingeorgia64@gmail.com
📍 Venue
Euphoria Batumi Convention & Casino Hotel, 1 Lech and Maria Kaczynski Street, 6001 Batumi, Georgia
The championship takes place at Euphoria Batumi Convention & Casino Hotel in Batumi. Players stay and play within the hotel complex, which helps reduce travel time during the event. The hotel also offers modern fitness and swimming facilities for guests.
🏨 Accommodation
Euphoria Batumi Convention & Casino Hotel offers superior sea-view rooms for championship participants. The full-board package includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
| Accommodation Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Hotel | Euphoria Batumi Convention & Casino Hotel |
| Room type | Superior sea-view rooms |
| Single room full board | €103 per person per day |
| Double room full board | €91 per person per day |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
| Hotel reservation deadline | April 10, 2026 |
| Playing venue | Located within the hotel complex |
🚆 How to Get There
Batumi International Airport is 12 km from the center of Batumi. The organizer provides free two-way transfer between Batumi International Airport and the hotels.
Kutaisi Airport is about 130 km from Batumi. The two-way transfer from Kutaisi Airport to the hotels costs €70 per person. Travel from Trabzon Airport, Rize-Artvin Airport, and Tbilisi Airport is available by agreement.
ℹ️ Other Practical Information
The ECU dress code applies throughout the championship. Players should avoid clothing and accessories that conflict with ECU event regulations.
The ECU anti-cheating guidelines, FIDE Code of Ethics, and ECU Fair Play Code apply to all players, arbiters, organizers, and participants. In addition, only players, arbiters, and tournament officials may enter the playing area.
Appeals must be submitted in writing within 1 hour after the end of the relevant game. Each appeal requires a €200 deposit. The deposit is returned if the appeal succeeds.
Overall, this championship gives Europe’s leading women players a major opportunity to compete in Batumi within the FIDE Women’s World Championship cycle.
Organizer
♟️ About the Organizer
Georgian Chess Federation is the national chess federation of Georgia and a central organizer for chess in Georgia. The federation operates from Tbilisi and works with the country’s clubs, regional chess bodies, arbiters, coaches, and players. Its activity covers national championships, international events, youth competitions, player registration, chess education, and tournament administration.
Georgia has a deep chess tradition, especially in women’s chess and youth competition. The federation gives that tradition a modern competitive structure through national events, rating tournaments, international hosting, and federation-linked development work. In addition, its leadership connects Georgian chess with FIDE and the European Chess Union, which helps local players follow clear pathways into international competition.
🏆 Chess Events and Activities
Georgian Chess Federation organizes and supports a wide range of national chess championships. Its calendar includes Georgian championships for different age groups, U20 events, rating-category championships, senior events, rapid and blitz competitions, and regional tournament activity. These events give Georgian players regular chances to compete in structured over-the-board chess.
The federation also plays a major role in international events hosted in Georgia. Recent and upcoming activity includes the European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 in Batumi and the FIDE World Cup for U8, U10, and U12 players in Batumi. These events bring international players, arbiters, coaches, families, and federation delegations to Georgia for high-level tournament chess.
Education and technical development also form part of the federation’s work. Georgian Chess Federation supports arbiter seminars, trainer activity, national forums, and tournament regulations. Therefore, the federation serves both players and the wider chess infrastructure needed for serious rated events.
🌍 Player Experience and Community
Players can expect a federation structure that connects local chess with national and international opportunities. A young player can begin with age-group events, move into national championships, and then aim for European or world youth competitions. Adult players can follow rating tournaments, open events, senior championships, and national title events.
For visiting players, Georgia offers a strong tournament destination with experienced chess venues in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Poti, and other chess-active cities. The federation’s major events use Swiss-system formats, FIDE-rated games, published schedules, and clear registration procedures. Moreover, international tournaments in Batumi give players a practical mix of competitive chess and travel-friendly venue settings.
Georgian Chess Federation also helps maintain a visible Georgian chess community across clubs, regions, youth events, women’s chess, coaching, and arbitration. As a result, players can find a complete chess pathway, from local tournament participation to FIDE-rated chess events and international representation.
