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Women’s World Cup 2025 Closing Ceremony: Music, Memories, and Triumph in Batumi
The 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup ended with a grand closing ceremony. It was held at the Grand Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Batumi, Georgia. The evening began at 7:30 PM with the Georgian National Anthem.
The master of ceremonies welcomed many distinguished guests. Among them were FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Georgian Chess Federation President Akaki Iashvili.
Akaki Iashvili gave the opening speech. He congratulated the winners and thanked everyone who made the event possible. He praised the strength of Indian and Chinese players in this year’s event. Iashvili also spoke about the tournament’s prestige and the celebration of International Chess Day on July 20th.
He expressed gratitude to the organizers, sponsors, and FIDE officials. Their efforts helped make this one of the most watched Women’s World Cups in history.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich then shared his thoughts. He thanked the Georgian hosts for their warmth and hospitality. Dvorkovich remembered his visit during the first round three weeks earlier. He noted the relaxed start, but also the high stakes faced by the players.
To all the winners—congratulations, Dvorkovich said.
And to the people of Georgia: thank you. We hope to return again soon.
The ceremony included a beautiful musical performance. Rusa Tavartkiladze and Nona Diasamidze, two of Georgia’s famous singers, performed a beloved Batumi song.
Before the prize ceremony, a special video was shown. It captured the most memorable moments of the tournament—big wins, emotional interviews, shocking upsets, and acts of sportsmanship.
Chief Arbiter Mahdi Abdulrahim then addressed the audience. He thanked everyone and invited the dignitaries to the stage:
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Arkady Dvorkovich (FIDE President)
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Akaki Iashvili (President, Georgian Chess Federation)
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Lukasz Turlej (FIDE Secretary General)
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Smbat Lputian (Vice President, Armenia Chess Federation; Appeals Committee)
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Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Continental President for Europe)
Together, they awarded the top prizes of the Women’s World Cup 2025:
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4th Place: Lei Tingjie (China)
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3rd Place: Tan Zhongyi (China)
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2nd Place: Humpy Koneru (India)
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Champion: Divya Deshmukh (India)
The gala ended with the FIDE Anthem. It was followed by the National Anthem of India, honoring Divya Deshmukh’s historic win.
About the 2025 Women’s World Cup
The tournament took place in Batumi, Georgia, from July 6th to July 28th. A total of 107 players from 46 federations competed. Seventeen of the world’s current top twenty players participated.
The players fought for a first prize of $50,000. The tournament also offered three spots for the Candidates Tournament.
For full pairings and daily results, visit the official Women’s World Cup website.
Photos: Anna Shtourman, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
