The large right-wing zoff between the Chess World Association FIDE and the Freestyle Chess organization about the name “World Champion” has ended for the time being. The last word has not yet been spoken in the matter.
Victory and defeat for the Chess World Association FIDE: As the Freestyle Chess organization announced on Monday in an official press release, she will not be given the winner of her freestyle Chess Tour 2025 with the title “World Champion”. The FIDE and freestyle Chess had fed bitterly about the right to choose a “World Champion” in the past few weeks.
According to the announcement, the twelve members of the Freestyle Chess Club, including superstar Magnus Carlsen, unanimously spoke out for this year not to choose a “World Champion” this year and instead the winner of the tournament series “Freestyle Chess Champion”.
Chess-Zoff could start again in 2026
“It is important to mention that this decision was made by the players, not from freestyle-and certainly not by the FIDE,” freestyle co-founder Jan Henric Buettner is quoted in the statement.
The agreement initially only applies to 2025. In a large group, it is to be discussed at the end of the year, as it will continue in 2026. Then the “World Champion” question comes back on the table.
Chess professionals found their own association
What the FIDE shouldn’t like at all: In Weissenhaus, the twelve top professionals also decided to found their own player association independent of the World Association. This should also help a team of lawyers and consultants. “This decision is a direct answer to the recent confrontations of the FIDE,” it says.
The world of chess wanted to force the players to submit a waiver in which the professionals had to agree to participate in any World Cup that is not organized by it. Freestyle then spoke of an illegal contract and stated that he wanted to hand over the matter of his own legal department.