Cyprus: The prestigious FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 gets underway on Sunday at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort, where the world’s top contenders will battle for the right to challenge the reigning world champions later this year.
Organized by FIDE, the tournament features eight players each in the Open and Women’s sections.
India’s R Praggnanandhaa is part of a new wave of fearless young players reshaping elite chess. Germany’s Matthias Blübaum and the Netherlands’ Anish Giri bring contrasting, battle-hardened styles, while Russia’s legacy is quietly represented by Andrey Esipenko.
China’s Wei Yi adds further firepower to a field widely seen as being in transition.
The tournament is unfolding against a wider geopolitical backdrop. India’s Koneru Humpy withdrew from the Women’s Candidates citing safety concerns linked to tensions in West Asia, highlighting how global events continue to intersect with sport. Her place in the line-up was taken by Anna Muzychuk.
World No.2 Hikaru Nakamura also expressed concerns, noting power outages in parts of Cyprus, while reports of drone activity near the Akrotiri airbase added to the uneasy atmosphere. Tournament organisers said the venue has precautionary shelter facilities in place to ensure participants’ safety.
Despite the backdrop, the focus inside the playing hall remains firmly on classical chess. The Candidates follows a demanding double round-robin format with 14 rounds, where each game can stretch five to seven hours.
There are no rapid or blitz tie-breaks during the main phase, placing emphasis on stamina, precision and mental resilience.
Veterans such as Fabiano Caruana and Nakamura are chasing another shot at the title, while younger players like Praggnanandhaa aim to seize their moment.
The winner will earn the right to challenge reigning champions D Gukesh and Ju Wenjun later this year.
In the Women’s Candidates, India’s Divya Deshmukh faces Muzychuk, while Vaishali Rameshbabu takes on Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva in the opening round. Other key clashes include Aleksandra Goryachkina against Kateryna Lagno, and China’s Zhu Jiner meeting former world champion Tan Zhongyi.
With rising stars, seasoned contenders and a tense global backdrop, the Candidates Tournament promises two weeks of intense, high-quality chess as players vie for a coveted world title challenge
Both events will follow a double round-robin format across 14 rounds, with players facing each other twice. A win earns one point, while draws fetch half a point. In case of a tie, rapid and blitz tiebreaks will decide the winner on April 16.
Indian interest begins immediately with a high-profile opening-round clash as Praggnanandhaa faces Giri, while Divya takes on Muzychuk and Vaishali meets Bibisara Assaubayeva. All matches start at 7 PM IST.
With the stakes sky-high and the world title shot on the line, the Candidates promise two weeks of intense, high-quality chess action.
Soury: ESPN, Sportstar
Photo credit: FIDE/X
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