North American Youth Chess Championship 2026 takes place from November 10 to November 17, 2026 at Hotel del Prado in Mexico City, Mexico. The main nine-round Standard championships are played from November 11 to November 16.

The championship is open to youth players representing the three North American members of the Confederation of Chess for Americas: Canada, Mexico and the United States. Players compete in U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18, with separate Open and Girls championships in every age group.

Each Standard section is FIDE-rated and consists of nine Swiss-system rounds at 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. The programme also includes separate FIDE Rapid and Blitz tournaments, while leading finishers can earn medals and direct FIDE titles or norms under the applicable regulations.

♟️ Event Details

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

♟️ Standard Championship

A player who arrives more than 30 minutes after the scheduled starting time loses by default.

Moreover, one absence can result in removal from the tournament unless the player informs the section arbiter, before the next pairing is prepared, that they intend to continue.

⚖️ Standard Tie-Breaks

The published order is:

1. Buchholz Cut 1
2. Buchholz
3. Sonneborn-Berger
4. Progressive / Cumulative Score
5. Direct Encounter
6. Greater Number of Wins

Once officially published, pairings are not normally changed except in circumstances permitted by the relevant FIDE Swiss-system regulations.

⚡ Rapid Championship

🔥 Blitz Championship

Rapid and Blitz are played under FIDE rules and have their own age and gender classifications.

🏆 Awards & FIDE Titles

There is no published cash prize fund for the main championship. Instead, the event awards trophies, medals and direct FIDE titles or norms where the required conditions are met.

General Awards

The winner of each championship section is declared 2026 North American Youth Chess Champion in that category.

♟️ Open Sections – Direct FIDE Titles

👧 Girls Sections – Direct FIDE Titles

All title awards remain subject to the applicable FIDE Direct Titles regulations in force from January 1, 2026.

Rapid and Blitz also award trophies and medals to the top five players in each applicable Open and Girls category.

🧩 Sections / Groups

The Standard championship contains 12 separate competitions.

Age Eligibility

There is no minimum FIDE rating requirement.

✅ Eligibility

Players must represent Canada, Mexico or the United States.

Each national federation may register as many players as it wishes. However, players from Canada and the United States require federation approval unless the CCA determines otherwise under the applicable regulations.

Mexican players, as representatives of the host federation, do not require that additional federation endorsement.

Official Players

Each national federation may nominate one Official Player in each of the 12 Standard categories.

Therefore, a federation may nominate up to 12 Official Players.

The organizer covers 60% of accommodation and meal costs for up to 12 Official Players and one Head of Delegation, provided that the delegation includes at least four Official Players.

The deadline to register as an Official Player is:

September 10, 2026 at midnight – Mexico City time

Players registered after this deadline are classified as Additional Players and must pay the corresponding fees.

Minors & Responsible Adults

Every player under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult, such as:

• Parent
• Legal guardian
• Coach
• Other formally designated adult

The responsible adult must also be registered with the organizer.

One adult may be responsible for several minors.

📅 Schedule

The main Standard championship therefore runs from November 11 through November 16, while the full official programme covers November 10–17.

📝 Registration

Registration must be completed directly with the tournament organizer.

🔗 Official Registration Form

https://forms.gle/HnGi5SLWBfGYs7mX9

Players must complete the registration form and upload proof of payment.

Payment without submission of the official registration form does not constitute a completed entry.

Entry Fees

Registration Deadlines

After November 9 at 16:00, main-event registration may only be handled at the venue with proof of payment, subject to organizer acceptance.

Registrations completed correctly are non-refundable.

💳 Payment – Canada & USA

Participants from Canada and the United States may use:

• Debit or credit card through the official tournament portal
• International bank transfer
• Consolidated federation payment where permitted

Foreign card payments are subject to an additional 8% banking charge.

International wire transfers require an additional US$35 bank-transfer charge per deposit.

💳 Payment – Mexico

Mexican participants may pay by SPEI to:

Bank: BanBajío
Account Holder: Asociación de Clubes de Ajedrez del D.F., A.C.
CLABE: 030180900043100782

The applicable exchange rate for fees stated in U.S. dollars is determined according to the published Banco de México exchange rate on the date of registration and payment.

👥 Organizer

📍 Venue

Hotel del Prado – Av. Marina Nacional 399, Verónica Anzures, Miguel Hidalgo, 11300 Ciudad de México, Mexico

Hotel del Prado is both the playing venue and official championship hotel.

The hotel is located in the Verónica Anzures area of Miguel Hidalgo. Its official website confirms the same Marina Nacional 399 address.

Because accommodation rules form part of the championship regulations, participants should not book the hotel independently through the hotel, an online travel agency or another booking platform when the organizer requires accommodation to be processed through the Organizing Committee.

🚆 How to Get There

Venue address: Hotel del Prado – Av. Marina Nacional 399, Verónica Anzures, Miguel Hidalgo, 11300 Ciudad de México, Mexico

For youth delegations arriving with luggage, the organizer’s official airport transfer is the simplest option when available.

Players using independent transport should allow substantial extra time because traffic conditions in Mexico City vary greatly throughout the day.

ℹ️ Other Information

🏨 Official Accommodation

Hotel del Prado is the official championship hotel.

Accommodation packages cover:

November 10–17, 2026

They include three buffet-style meals per day, beginning with lunch on November 10 and ending with breakfast on November 17.

Prices are per person and include taxes.

Hotel Rates – September 1–30

Hotel Rates – From October 1

Up to two children under 12 may be added to a double room under the published child rate.

For accommodation purposes, participants over 12 years old are treated as adults.

⚠️ Official Hotel Requirement

Participants, coaches and accompanying persons who do not stay at the official hotel must pay a:

US$200 penalty per person

Moreover, a reservation made directly with Hotel del Prado, through an agency, booking website or any method outside the Organizing Committee is treated as non-compliance and can trigger the same penalty.

The regulations state that this hotel penalty does not apply to players competing under the Mexican flag.

Therefore, international participants should arrange the official hotel through the Organizing Committee, not through Booking.com, the hotel’s own website or another third party.

🎟️ Accreditation for Parents & Coaches

Coaches, parents and accompanying persons require an official tournament accreditation to enter the playing hall during permitted periods and remain within designated tournament areas.

The accreditation fee is:

US$20

Without accreditation, access to those tournament areas is not permitted.

📵 Fair Play

FIDE anti-cheating measures apply.

The following items are prohibited inside the playing area:

• Mobile phones
• Smartwatches
• Tablets
• Other electronic or communication devices
• Bags
• Backpacks
• Briefcases

Violation of these rules can result in loss of the game.

⚖️ Appeals

A protest against an arbiter’s decision must be submitted in writing to the Appeals Committee within one hour after the relevant round ends.

The appeal deposit is:

US$200

The deposit is refunded when the appeal is upheld.

📡 Live Games

The organizer plans live transmission of championship games through:

https://coparevolucion.com.mx/

🔗 Official Links

Championship Website:
https://coparevolucion.com.mx/north-american/

Regulations:
https://coparevolucion.com.mx/north-american/download/Convocatoria%20NAYCC%202026.pdf

Registration:
https://forms.gle/HnGi5SLWBfGYs7mX9

Chess-Results Master List:
https://chess-results.com/tnr1448202.aspx?lan=1

Hotel del Prado:
https://www.hoteldelprado.com.mx/en/