FIDE and some of the most prominent players in the world like Carlsen and Nakamura had clashed over the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour last year just before the FIDE World rapid and Blitz Championship. The main bone of contention was the attempt by the organisers of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour to call their event a World Championship. FIDE had taken strong objection to this.

FIDE went on to add that all qualified players in the 2025-2026 World Championship cycle will be “expected to sign an additional contract, which will include a clause indicating that participation in any alternative world chess championships in any variation of chess not approved by FIDE (except for the Freestyle tour in 2025) would lead to their withdrawal from the two consecutive FIDE World Championship cycles.”

Here’s full statement by FIDE on FCPC:

With regard to the recent communications from the “Freestyle Chess Players Club” (“FCPC”), FIDE states the following:

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the only internationally recognized governing body of chess (in particular, by the International Olympic Committee), regulating all official international chess competitions. While we have always remained open to cooperation with private organizations and initiatives across the chess community, FIDE retains its supreme role with respect to the rules, titles, and ratings. FIDE’s status and global responsibilities towards the chess community are distinct and non-negotiable.

FIDE does not oppose commercial platforms, projects, or privately managed clubs, such as the FCPC, engaging with players in their own capacity. However, the attempts by FCPC to present their project as a World Championship are in contradiction with the well-established status of FIDE and its authority over world championship titles in all relevant variations of chess – including Chess960/Freestyle chess, as outlined in the FIDE Handbook.

Moreover, the line of conduct adopted by FCPC threatens the execution of players’ existing contractual obligations towards FIDE.

The steps taken by the FCPC project unavoidably lead to divisions in the chess world – and we remember all too well the unfortunate consequences of a similar split that happened in not so distant past.

Although the formal status of 2025 Freestyle Chess series has yet to be determined, FIDE wants to ensure that all players can plan their schedules for 2025. That is why – as a matter of goodwill and to provide sufficient comfort to the players for the immediate future – FIDE took the decision to accommodate the 2025 Freestyle Chess series in the calendar and to refrain from invoking relevant legal clauses in previously signed contracts concerning players’ participation in 2025 Freestyle events.

Nevertheless, FIDE retains all its legal rights related to the World Championship title and will be ready to challenge organizers and initiators of any series that decide to brand themselves as a “World Championship” without the approval of FIDE.

We are open to dialogue, and looking forward to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, provided that the governing role and its well established authority of FIDE over the World Championships is respected by potential partners.

Should such an agreement not be reached, FIDE demands that the Freestyle series does not carry the status of a “World Championship”. FIDE will not hesitate to use all legal means against those who violate its rights – be it initiators, organizers and/or investors of the project.

As the 2025-2026 World Championship cycle is underway, all qualified players are expected to sign an additional contract, which will include a clause indicating that participation in any alternative world chess championships in any variation of chess not approved by FIDE (except for the Freestyle tour in 2025) would lead to their withdrawal from the two consecutive FIDE World Championship cycles.

As a part of the contracts FIDE commits to running the cycle events at the highest level with substantially increased prize funds – the dates and locations of those are published in FIDE Calendar.