The FIDE World Senior Chess Championships 2026 will take place in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, from November 2 to 15, 2026. The championship brings together eligible senior players in four categories: Open 50+, Women 50+, Open 65+, and Women 65+. Competitive play runs from November 3 to 14 at the Hotel Zepter Conference Hall.

Each category uses an 11-round FIDE-rated Swiss system with classical time control. In addition, the championships offer a confirmed €50,000 total prize fund, approximately $57,430, and award four official world senior championship titles. Vrnjačka Banja has also hosted several major international competitions in recent years, including the 2023 European Individual Championship and the 2024 European Club Cups.

The published registration deadline is September 25, 2026. Therefore, eligible players should coordinate their entry with their national federation and complete the organizer’s official registration procedure before the deadline.

📌 Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The organizer will run all four championship sections under the General Regulations for FIDE Competitions. Moreover, Swiss-Manager will handle the pairings and tournament administration.

Each player starts with 90 minutes for the first 40 moves. After move 40, the player receives another 30 minutes for the rest of the game. In addition, the clock adds 30 seconds after every move from move one.

The default time is 30 minutes. Therefore, a player who arrives later than the default time loses the game unless the Chief Arbiter decides otherwise.

🏆 Prize Fund

The championships offer a confirmed €50,000 total prize fund, approximately $57,430. The published section funds and special awards add up exactly to this total.

Cash prizes from the 75+ special-prize pool are not cumulative with another cash prize. Moreover, the top three finishers in every championship category receive medals. Each category winner also receives a trophy and the corresponding world championship title.

Open 50+

Section prize fund: €19,700

Women 50+

Section prize fund: €7,000

Open 65+

Section prize fund: €15,000

Women 65+

Section prize fund: €5,300

Special 75+ Prizes

The championship also provides a separate €3,000 non-cumulative prize pool for players aged 75 and over.

♟️ Sections / Groups

The championships consist of four separate world-title competitions. Therefore, players should enter the section that matches their age eligibility and, where applicable, the women’s category.

👥 Eligibility & Participation Rights

Players must enter through a FIDE member federation. However, each member federation may register as many eligible players as it wishes.

The top three players in each category from the previous FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championships hold personal participation rights. In addition, the top three players from each category of the previous Continental Senior Individual Chess Championships hold personal rights. These places cannot be transferred to other players.

The regulations aim for representation from every continent and at least 20 participants in each category. However, the FIDE Events Commission may make an exceptional decision about the final configuration of the women’s categories when the participation requirement is not met.

📅 Schedule

All times follow local time in Serbia. Most rounds begin at 15:00, while the final round starts at 14:00 on November 14.

📝 Registration

Players must register through their national chess federation using the official organizer form. The deadline for players and accompanying persons is Friday, September 25, 2026. The organizer must also receive the registration fee and hotel payment by that deadline.

The registration fee is €120 per player and €120 per accompanying person. It includes accreditation plus official arrival and departure transfers from Kraljevo Morava Airport or Niš Constantine the Great Airport on the designated dates.

Late entries are not guaranteed. However, the organizer may accept a late registration if space remains. In that case, a €70 late-registration penalty applies.

After the organizer approves the completed form, the relevant national federation receives a pro forma invoice. The sender must cover all bank charges.

The deadline for Serbian visa invitation-letter requests was September 1, 2026. Consequently, the Serbian Chess Federation does not guarantee visa assistance for requests submitted after that date. Players should check the current visa rules for their nationality with the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Official Registration Form:
https://wscc.beochess.rs/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Registration_form_WSCC2026.xlsx

🏛️ Organizer

📍 Venue

Hotel Zepter Conference Hall – Vrnjačka 12, 36210 Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia.

The Hotel Zepter stands in central Vrnjačka Banja and serves as the championship playing venue. Its conference complex includes large-capacity tournament and event space. Therefore, players staying at the hotel can access both the competition venue and hotel facilities in the same complex.

Coordinates: 43.627518, 20.895449

Hotel website:
https://zepterhotelvbanja.com/

🏨 Accommodation

Players, coaches, and accompanying persons should book official accommodation through the organizers. Full board includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, whereas half board includes breakfast and dinner. All published rates apply per person, per day.

Hotel Zepter ★★★★

Hotel Zepter is the tournament venue. The organizer has reserved up to 100 rooms, and it allocates them on a first-come, first-served basis.

Website: https://zepterhotelvbanja.com/

Apartments ZepterMe ★★★★

Apartments ZepterMe are located in the Hotel Zepter annex. Moreover, the organizer has reserved up to 30 apartments. Meals for these guests are served at Hotel Zepter.

Website: https://zepterme.rs/en/home/

Hotel Fontana ★★★★

Hotel Fontana is another official championship hotel. It stands approximately 200 meters from the playing hall, so participants can walk between the hotel and the venue.

Website: https://fontanavrnjackabanja.com/

The current official championship website lists Hotel Kralj as fully booked. Invited players with personal participation rights should therefore confirm their final accommodation allocation directly with the organizer.

The local tourist tax is €1.70 per person, per day. In addition, participants who stay outside the official hotels must arrange their own daily transportation to and from the playing venue.

Participants and accompanying persons staying in the official hotels can use the available swimming pools, spa facilities, and gyms without an additional charge. However, guests under 16 may use these facilities only with an accompanying adult and during the permitted hours.

🚌 How to Get There

Accredited players and accompanying persons can use the organizer’s official airport transfers. Therefore, anyone who needs a transfer should send complete travel information to worldsenior@fide.com by October 23, 2026.

The organizer plans to publish the detailed transfer schedule approximately three days before arrival. Consequently, participants should check the official website and organizer communications shortly before travelling.

Vrnjačka Banja lies approximately 200 km south of Belgrade.

ℹ️ Other Information

Tie-Breaks

The final ranking depends first on the number of points scored. If players tie for first place or another prize, the organizer applies the published criteria in the following order.

Titles, Medals & Certificates

The four section winners receive the official titles 2026 World Senior Chess Champion 50+, 2026 World Senior Chess Champion 65+, 2026 World Women’s Senior Chess Champion 50+, and 2026 World Women’s Senior Chess Champion 65+.

Moreover, first-place finishers receive a trophy and gold medal. Second-place players receive silver medals, while third-place players receive bronze medals.

Every participant receives an organizer gift and a certificate of participation. Furthermore, FIDE may award direct titles when players meet the applicable direct-title requirements.

Appeals

A player who wishes to appeal a Chief Arbiter decision must submit a written protest within one hour after the relevant game finishes. In addition, the protest requires a €200 deposit.

The Appeals Committee returns the deposit when it grants the appeal. It may also return the deposit when it considers an unsuccessful appeal non-frivolous.

Side Events

The organizer will hold the open Vrnjačka Banja Trophy Rapid Tournament on Sunday, November 8 at 11:00. The rapid event has no entry fee and offers a separate €2,500 prize fund.

In addition, the organizer plans at least two open FIDE-rated blitz tournaments during the championship. Details will be announced separately.

Fair Play

The organizer will use anti-cheating measures throughout the championships. These measures include entry checks, delayed game transmission, venue monitoring, and possible random fair-play checks.

Therefore, participants must follow all arbiter instructions concerning electronic devices and access to the playing area.

Medical Service & Insurance

Medical assistance will be available during the championship. However, every participant must arrange personal health and accident insurance for the full event period.

🔗 Official Resources