The Candidates Tournaments 2026 in both the open (men’s) and women’s sections are one of the most-awaited tournaments, and it’s gradually taking shape as key qualifiers have already secured their spots, while several other players still have to fight for the remaining places through upcoming events. So, who has already booked a spot in this prestigious event till now, and how will others qualify? Let’s see.
Confirmed Players In Open Candidates Tournaments 2026
The Candidates Tournaments 2026 is set to determine the challenger for reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and is composed of eight players who qualify through various merit-based channels. So far, here are the confirmed players and how they reached this stage:
Fabiano Caruana (USA) qualified outright as the 2024 FIDE Circuit winner, a new qualification path based on players’ cumulative scores across key tournaments in 2024.
Anish Giri (Netherlands) and Matthias Bluebaum (Germany) secured their spots by finishing as the top two players in the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament.
Hikaru Nakamura (USA) is positioned to qualify for the Candidates Tournaments 2026 via the highest average rating from August 2025 to January 2026, provided he meets the required number of classical games.
The remaining five spots will be decided in upcoming events:
Three players will qualify through the 2025 FIDE World Cup, which is scheduled for later in the year, and one will emerge as the winner of the FIDE Circuit 2025. The final spot in the Candidates Tournaments 2026 will be given to the player with the highest average rating during the qualification period, if not already qualified.
A significant change in this cycle is that, unlike past cycles, there is no automatic spot for the runner-up of the previous World Championship, emphasising a merit-based approach through active competitive success.
Confirmed Players In Women’s Candidates Tournaments 2026
The Women’s Candidates Tournaments 2026 will also have eight players competing for the chance to challenge the reigning Women’s World Champion, Ju Wenjun. So far, confirmed qualifiers include:
Zhu Jiner and Aleksandra Goryachkina secured places by finishing as the winner and runner-up of the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Grand Prix series.
Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and Tan Zhongyi qualified by taking the top three spots at the 2025 Women’s Chess World Cup.
Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno qualified through their top-two finishes at the 2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament.
The last spot in the Candidates Tournaments 2026 will be awarded to the winner of the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Events overall ranking, which includes performances across major championships, Grand Prix, and World Rapid and Blitz events.
Notably, the runner-up of the previous Women’s World Championship does not receive automatic qualification this time but can qualify through the new circuit ranking system, encouraging consistent high-level participation.
The Candidates Tournaments 2026 promise fierce competition, as the chess world’s best fight not only for the title shot but also to earn their place on a fair and dynamic qualification ladder. With clear criteria and multiple paths to qualification, this cycle emphasises merit, form, and skill, setting a thrilling stage ahead for the World Chess Championship battles in both the open and women’s categories.
