Qualification
How the world’s best chess players earn their place in the Total Chess World Championship Tour.
Qualification Pathways
The 2026 pilot event has 24 places, earned through several qualification pathways set by FIDE and Norway Chess. The reigning World Champion and Women's World Champion receive automatic spots, along with top finishers from the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships. Further places go to the highest-rated players on the classical rating list and the winners of the FIDE Candidates and Women's Candidates tournaments, with the final spots filled through classical ratings and the FIDE Circuit.
Qualifying earns a player an invitation, which each player then chooses whether to accept, so the confirmed field can differ from the list of qualifiers. 18 of the 24 players have confirmed, and the final 6 are expected to be announced in September.
See the Players page for the confirmed field.
2027 Tour Eligibility
From the 2027 season onward, qualification expands to include:
Reigning world champions and prior tour champions
Top finishers from FIDE Candidates Tournaments
Players qualified through the Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss
World Cup and Women’s World Cup finalists
Top-rated players on the classical rating list
Organizer wildcards (up to three per leg)
Full Regulations
Read the complete qualification system, scoring details, tie-break rules, and prize fund distribution.