Carlsen Headlines FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026: Format Evolved, Who Could Win?

• The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026, co-organized by FIDE and Freestyle Chess, runs from February 13-15 in Wangels, Germany.
• This marks the first official 'FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship', a shift from previous Fischer Random World Championship events.
• A Women’s Exhibition Match between Alexandra Kosteniuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva will precede the first official FIDE Women’s Freestyle World Championship later in 2026.
• The 2026 event is a standalone three-day tournament with rapid time controls and a reduced prize fund, unlike the 2025 Grand Slam Tour.
• Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, and India's Arjun Erigaisi are among the eight participants vying for the $100,000 top prize.