Chess Women’s Day Celebration 2026: Visible, Connected, Worldwide
The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess is celebrating women and girls in chess throughout the month of March with the Chess Women’s Day Celebration 2026.
This global initiative invites federations, chess clubs, academies, and organizers from around the world to host special events. The celebration highlights the achievements of women in chess and encourages more girls to join the game.
After the success of the first global celebration last year, the 2026 edition continues with the theme “Visible, Connected, Worldwide.”
The aim of the event is clear and powerful:
Increase the visibility of women and girls in chess Build stronger connections between chess communities worldwide Promote equality and opportunities in the chess world
During March, many activities are organized around the globe. These include tournaments, simultaneous exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and community gatherings. All these events celebrate women in chess and inspire the next generation of players.
A Strong Start in Poland
The celebrations started even before March with a major women’s event in Poland called the XV Radzikowska Memorial. This tournament is one of the most respected women’s chess festivals in Europe.
One of the most exciting moments of the event was the Team Poland vs Team World match. Top Polish players faced strong international stars in a thrilling competition.
There was also a rapid tournament for girls and women, where young players got a chance to compete and interact with elite players.
The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess partnered with the organizers and rewarded the best-performing girls with special prizes and training sessions with top Polish women grandmasters.
Women’s Chess Day at the Prague Chess Festival
March started in a wonderful way at the Prague Chess Festival. The commission supported the Futures Tournament, a round-robin event for talented young girls.
This event was played alongside the famous Masters and Challengers tournaments. This gave the young participants a chance to experience a world-class chess atmosphere.
They also shared the same venue with top players such as:
- Gukesh Dommaraju
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Divya Deshmukh
The Futures event had a very special ambassador — legendary Swedish grandmaster Pia Cramling.
She met the young girls and their parents and shared stories and lessons from her long chess career. She also played a simultaneous exhibition, creating a memorable experience for everyone.
As part of Women’s Chess Day, Divya Deshmukh also gave a fun chess lesson to Czech actress Aňa Geislerová, introducing her to the basics of chess.
The Futures Tournament winners were:
- Kaja Rzadkowska (Poland) – 1st place
- Christina Jordan (Switzerland) – 2nd place
- Zuzana Stará (Czech Republic) – 3rd place
Major Celebration in Kazakhstan
Another big highlight happened on March 6 with the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2026, organized by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. The event brought together players, organizers, and chess fans in a vibrant festival atmosphere. It celebrated both women and chess in a beautiful and inspiring way.
A key figure behind many women’s chess initiatives in Kazakhstan is Gulmira Dauletova, the Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and a member of the Women’s Chess Commission. Her work has helped create many opportunities for girls and women to participate in chess across the country.
Queens’ Online Chess Festival Connects the World
One of the biggest initiatives this year is the Queens’ Online Chess Festival, organized by the FIDE Women’s Chess Commission. The festival runs from March 1 to March 29, 2026 and celebrates International Women’s Day.
It is free to join and open to women and girls of all ages and skill levels. Two tournaments are played during the festival:
- Queens’ Women’s Open Tournament
- Unrated Princesses’ Tournament
The event started with strong participation from Africa. A record 114 women players from the continent registered, the highest number in the festival’s history.
Online chess platforms make global participation possible, and the commission thanked Lichess for providing the playing platform.
Partnerships and New Initiatives
The celebration also includes cooperation with other international festivals.
One example is the Budapest Spring Festival, where entry fees for women players were completely waived in both tournament groups. This initiative helps make competitive chess more accessible.
The festival also hosted a Women’s Chess Roundtable on March 4. This discussion featured Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess. Participants shared ideas and discussed ways to improve opportunities for women in chess.
Storytelling and Social Impact
The Women’s Chess Commission also partnered with the FIDE Social Commission to support the Storytelling & Impact Content Masterclass. The lecture is delivered by award-winning creative director Maxim Kolyshev, a Cannes Lions finalist with more than 150 international awards.
Participants learn how powerful storytelling can inspire communities and create social impact through chess and sports initiatives.
Celebrations Around the World
Many exciting events are happening across different continents. In Saint-Tropez, players will have a special opportunity to face Alexandra Kosteniuk, the 12th Women’s World Champion, in a simultaneous exhibition.
In Malawi, a women’s invitational round-robin tournament will take place on March 8, followed by another women’s event from March 26–30.
More tournaments are also planned in:
- Congo
- Zimbabwe
Another inspiring event will take place in Saint Lucia on March 19 called “Girls in Chess – Inspiring the Next Generation.” It will feature a blitz tournament, a simultaneous exhibition with Dana Reizniece, and a Q&A session for young players.
In Hong Kong, the Caissa Chess Club will organize the Chess Queens Festival on March 14. Meanwhile in Nepal, the Himalayan Chess Academy will host the Himalayan Queen’s Gambit Tournament on March 15.
This event follows the historic 2025 edition that had 142 participants, the largest women-only chess gathering in Nepal. Another inspiring initiative comes from Adly Chess Academy, which launched the program “Champ Making a Girl Champ.”
In this program, 20 girls aged 6–10 receive three months of free chess training, helping them build confidence and leadership skills.
Education and Opportunities
Education is also a key part of the celebration. From March 27–29, a free online Arbiter’s Seminar for women will be held. This seminar helps participants learn more about chess rules and move closer to becoming certified chess arbiters.
A Truly Global Celebration
The Chess Women’s Day Celebration 2026 continues to grow as a global movement. From international festivals to small community initiatives, every event helps promote the same goal:
Making women and girls more visible in chess and building a strong global chess community that supports them. More events are expected across Africa, South America, and other regions during the month.
Chess fans can also follow updates on the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess Instagram page
Photos: FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
