Ju Wenjun Leads the Way in FIDE Women’s Events 2024–25
Fresh off winning her fifth world title, Ju Wenjun is leads the way in the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s series. She’s currently leading the rankings and putting serious pressure on her rivals.
In this series, the highest-ranked player who hasn’t qualified by other means will earn a spot in the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026. So far, three out of eight qualifying events have been completed—and the competition is heating up fast.
Ju Wenjun: Still on Top
As the reigning Women’s World Champion, Ju Wenjun continues to dominate. She has 86.5 Ranking Points (RP), putting her in first place.
She earned:
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48 points by winning the 2024 Women’s World Blitz Championship
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38.5 points by tying for 2nd–7th in the Women’s World Rapid Championship
Humpy Koneru: Right Behind
Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru is just behind Ju with 84 points, all gained by winning the 2024 Women’s World Rapid Championship in New York.
Tan Zhongyi: Fighting Hard
In third place is Tan Zhongyi, a former World Champion.
She also tied for 2nd–7th in the World Rapid (38.5 RP) and added 25 points after finishing as runner-up in the World Championship match against Ju (which Ju won 6.5–2.5).
Kateryna Lagno and the Chasing Pack
Kateryna Lagno, a former World Blitz and Rapid Champion, is currently in fifth place with 54.4 RP.
She scored:
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16 points for finishing third in Blitz
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38.5 points for a shared 2nd place in the 2024 Rapid Championship
Just behind her, with 38.5 RP each, are:
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Alexandra Kosteniuk (former World Champion)
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Harika Dronavalli (India)
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Afruza Khamdamova (16-year-old rising star from Uzbekistan)
The Race Isn’t Over
Seventeen players are still in contention. The rankings will likely shift again as the Grand Prix Series wraps up in Austria this May.
A Career-Making Series
“Every event in this series matters. This is where careers are made and history is written,” said Dana Reizniece, Woman Grandmaster and Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board.
She explained that this format rewards consistent performance, not just big wins. Sustaining strong form across multiple events is what separates the best from the rest.
What’s Next in the Series?
After the Grand Prix finale, the series continues with:
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Women’s World Cup 2025
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Women’s Grand Swiss 2025
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2025 Women’s Rapid and Blitz World Championships
Big Names Still in the Mix
Veterans like Alexandra Kosteniuk and Lei Tingjie are still chasing a spot. So are experienced players like Harika Dronavalli and Humpy Koneru. They’re battling against a new wave of talent like Bibisara Assaubayeva and Carissa Yip.
The fight for qualification is wide open—and anything can happen.
How Players Earn Points
Players earn Ranking Points (RP) based on their top five results during the series.
If there’s a tie in final scores, FIDE uses tiebreak rules that remove the lowest scoring event first.
The highest-ranked player not already qualified will earn a place in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Events in the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Series
Here are the 8 major events where players can earn points:
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2024 Women’s World Rapid Championship
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2024 Women’s World Blitz Championship
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2025 Women’s World Championship Match (only the runner-up earns points)
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2024–25 Women’s Grand Prix Series
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2025 Women’s World Cup
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2025 Women’s Grand Swiss
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2025 Women’s World Rapid Championship
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2025 Women’s World Blitz Championship
Photos: Michal Walusza, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
