| 2026 | |||
|
Defending champion |
Challenger | ||
.jpg) |
 | ||
 Ju Wenjun |
 Vaishali Rameshbabu | ||
|
Born 31 January 1991 34 years old |
Born 21 June 2001 24 years old | ||
| Winner of the Women's World Chess Championship 2025 | Winner of the Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 | ||
The Women's World Chess Championship 2026 is an upcoming chess match which will determine the new Women's World Chess Champion. It will be played between the defending champion Ju Wenjun, the winner of the Women's World Chess Championship 2025, and Vaishali Rameshbabu, the winner of Women's Candidates Tournament 2026.[1][2] The dates and host city are yet to be decided.[3]
Candidates Tournament
The challenger, Vaishali Rameshbabu, qualified by winning the Women's Candidates Tournament 2026, which was held at the Cap Saint Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus, between 28 March and 16 April.[4][5]
The eight players to qualify to the Women's Candidates Tournament were:[6]
| Qualification method | Player | Age | Rating | World ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (March 2026) | ||||
| The top two finishers in the FIDE Women's Grand Prix 2024–25 | Zhu Jiner (winner) |
23 | 2578 | 2 |
 Aleksandra Goryachkina (runner-up) |
27 | 2534 | 7 | |
| The top three finishers in the Women's Chess World Cup 2025 | Divya Deshmukh (winner) |
20 | 2497 | 12 |
| |
39 | 2535 | 5 | |
| Tan Zhongyi (third place) |
34 | 2535 | 6 | |
| The top two finishers in the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss Tournament 2025 | Vaishali Rameshbabu (winner) |
24 | 2470 | 18 |
| Kateryna Lagno (runner-up) |
36 | 2508 | 10 | |
| Highest place in the FIDE Women's Events 2024–25 not already qualified[a] |  Bibisara Assaubayeva |
22 | 2516 | 9 |
 Anna Muzychuk (Replacement for Koneru) |
36 | 2522 | 8 | |
Results
| Rank | Player | Score | SB | Wins | Qualification | VR | BA | ZJ | AG | AM | KL | DD | TZ | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vaishali Rameshbabu (IND) |
8.5 / 14 | 55.75 | 5 | Advanced to title match | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | |||
| 2 | Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) |
8 / 14 | 56.25 | 4 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ||||
| 3 | Zhu Jiner (CHN) |
7.5 / 14 | 50.5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ||||
| 4 | Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE) |
7.5 / 14 | 50.25 | 3 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ||||
| 5 | Anna Muzychuk (UKR) |
7 / 14 | 49.25 | 2 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ||||
| 6 | Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) |
6.5 / 14 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ||||
| 7 | Divya Deshmukh (IND) |
5.5 / 14 | 40.25 | 2 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ||||
| 8 | Tan Zhongyi (CHN) |
5.5 / 14 | 38.25 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ||||
Source: FIDE
Rules for classification: For first place: tie-break games. For subsequent spots: (1) results in tie-break games for first place, if any; (2) Sonneborn–Berger score (SB); (3) total number of wins; (4) head-to-head score among tied players; (5) drawing of lots.[2]
Rules for classification: For first place: tie-break games. For subsequent spots: (1) results in tie-break games for first place, if any; (2) Sonneborn–Berger score (SB); (3) total number of wins; (4) head-to-head score among tied players; (5) drawing of lots.[2]
Note: Numbers in the crosstable in a white background indicate the result playing the respective opponent with the white pieces (black pieces if on a black background). This does not give information which of the two games was played in the first half of the tournament, and which in the second.
See also
References
- "Mediterranean Stage Set for Chess History: The 2026 FIDE Candidates Come to Cyprus". FIDE. 10 November 2025. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025.
- "Regulations for the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026" (PDF). FIDE. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- https://www.espn.in/chess/story/_/id/48504971/r-vaishali-vs-ju-wenjun-way-too-early-preview-womens-world-chess-championship
- Aditya Narayan (15 April 2026). "R Vaishali wins FIDE Candidates; to challenge Ju Wenjun for Women's World Championship". ESPN. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- "India's Vaishali wins Women's Candidates event, sets up chess title match with China's Ju Wenjun". The Straits Times. 16 April 2026. Retrieved 16 April 2026.
- Anish Anand (27 March 2026). "India at FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026: All you need to know". ESPN. Archived from the original on 5 April 2026. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
Notes
- Koneru Humpy finished first in the 2024–2025 FIDE Women's Events circuit, but had already qualified for the Candidates through a second place finish at the Women's Chess World Cup 2025. As a result, the qualifying spot was awarded to the highest finisher of the FIDE Women's Events circuit who had not already qualified for the event (Bibisara Assaubayeva). Upon Koneru's withdrawal from the event on March 22, 2026, her spot went to the next highest finisher (Anna Muzychuk).