📍 DANN Carlton Hotel, Barranquilla, Colombia will be the venue for the FIDE World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2025.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Colombian Chess Federation (FECODAZ) proudly host the FIDE World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad 2025 in Barranquilla, Colombia. This prestigious team event welcomes national youth teams from around the world to compete under rapid time control in an inclusive, vibrant, and highly competitive environment. Players will sharpen their skills, build lifelong friendships, and represent their countries at one of the most important youth team tournaments on the FIDE calendar.

🗓️ Tournament Dates & Schedule

• August 16: Arrival Day, Opening Ceremony (19:00)
• August 17: Technical Meeting (10:00), Round 1 (16:00)
• August 18: Rounds 2 & 3 (10:00, 16:00)
• August 19: Rounds 4 & 5 (10:00, 16:00)
• August 20: Round 6 (10:00)
• August 21: Rounds 7 & 8 (10:00, 16:00)
• August 22: Round 9 (10:00), Closing Ceremony (16:00)
• August 23: Departure Day

⏱️ Time Control & Format

Organizers will conduct a 9-round Swiss-system tournament with a rapid time control of 45 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. If fewer than 40 teams register, the format will include 7 rounds. Each team match consists of four boards and follows standard Olympiad pairing rules. Organizers enforce a 20-minute default time for each round.

🧮 Team Composition & Eligibility

Each national team includes four players (with at least one boy and one girl) and one team captain. Eligible players must be born in 2009 or later (i.e., under 16 years of age as of January 1, 2025). Each FIDE member federation may send one official team and multiple additional teams.

🏆 Prizes & Awards

Organizers will award:

• 🏆 Cups to the top 3 teams
• 🥇🥈🥉 Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals to all players and captains of the top 3 teams
• 🌟 Individual medals for the top 3 performers on each board
• 📜 Certificates of participation to every player

Organizers will rank teams based on match points, followed by Sonneborn-Berger, game points, and Buchholz tiebreaks. Individual tiebreaks will include performance rating, direct encounter, Buchholz, number of games with Black, and total wins.

📝 Registration & Participation Details

All federations must submit official registration, travel, and accommodation forms by June 15, 2025. The organizers charge a registration fee of 100 EUR per person (players, captains, and accompanying persons), which covers airport transfers, accreditation, and logistics.

FIDE also charges a registration fee of 100 EUR per team, payable directly to FIDE.

Late registrations submitted after June 15 may incur a late fee of 200 EUR per team, subject to availability.

💳 Payment Instructions

Organizers issue invoices upon approval of registration forms. All federations must complete their payments no later than July 1, 2025. Incomplete payments will result in cancellation of participation.

🏨 Venue & Official Hotels

🏢 Playing Venue: DANN Carlton Hotel, Barranquilla (5-star venue)
🏨 Official Hotels: Dann Carlton, Marriot, Windsor, and GHL

Organizers provide free full-board accommodation (August 16 lunch to August 23 breakfast) for up to five members of each official team (players and captain). Each team receives a maximum of three rooms, allocated based on room occupancy (single, double, or triple). Teams must request special dietary needs or disability accommodations on their registration forms.

Players can enjoy hotel facilities such as pools, gyms, and wet areas. Organizers only accept hotel bookings through the official organizing committee.

✈️ Travel & Local Transport

Participants should arrive at Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport, located 23 km from the official hotels. Organizers provide free round-trip airport transfers for arrivals on August 16 and departures on August 23. Early or late arrivals incur a 100 EUR transportation fee per person. During the event, organizers also offer free daily transfers between hotels and the playing venue.

🧑‍💼 Organizing Committee & Contact

Organizers:

• International Chess Federation (FIDE)
• Colombian Chess Federation (FECODAZ)

Contact Email: youtholympiad@fide.com
Phone/WhatsApp: +57 322 734 2146

👩‍⚖️ Tournament Officials

• Chief Arbiter: To be announced
• Appeals Committee: To be appointed before the event
  Participants may file written protests within 15 minutes of game completion, along with a 200 EUR deposit. The Appeals Committee’s decision remains final.

✈️ Visa & Entry Requirements

All participants must comply with Colombia’s visa and health regulations. Organizers can issue invitation letters upon request but do not take responsibility for delays or denied visas. Each participant must cover their visa application costs and initiate the process on time.

You may find more exciting tournaments at mychess.events.