Nodirbek Abdusattorov secures final spot at FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship
Nodirbek Abdusattorov has claimed the eighth and final place at the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship. The prestigious event will be held in Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13 to 15, 2026.
The Uzbek star earned his spot by winning the official Play-In qualifier on Chess.com. In the final match, Abdusattorov defeated Pranav Venkatesh with a convincing 2–0 score.
The qualifier attracted over 100 titled players from around the world. After intense competition, the event concluded with a four-player knockout stage on January 15, where Abdusattorov emerged on top.
With this win, Abdusattorov joins an elite field already qualified for the championship. The lineup includes Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Javokhir Sindarov, and Hans Niemann.
Abdusattorov is no stranger to Freestyle Chess and Chess960. He previously reached the semifinals of the FIDE Fischer Random World Championship. In 2025, he also competed in several events on the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, gaining valuable experience in this format.
Fans can also look forward to a special highlight during the championship. An exhibition Freestyle Chess match between Hou Yifan and Bibisara Assaubayeva will take place on February 14 and 15.
This championship is historic. It is the first World Championship jointly organized by FIDE and Freestyle Chess. The event will conclude the 2025 Freestyle Chess season and crown the first World Champion under this new system.
Photos: Lennart Ootes, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
