The 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and FIDE Women’s Candidates will be held in Cyprus at the luxurious Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort from March 28 to April 16, 2026. This historic announcement marks the return of the Candidates to Europe after Toronto 2024, bringing the final step of the FIDE World Championship cycle to the Mediterranean for the first time. The world’s top eight players, qualified through the FIDE World Cup 2025, FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, and FIDE Circuit, will battle in a double round-robin event for the right to challenge the reigning World Champion in November 2026. With a record one-million-euro prize fund, beautiful seaside venue, and global anticipation, the 2026 FIDE Candidates promises to be a landmark moment in modern chess.