New competition format for the 2026 World Schools Team Championship
The World Schools Team Championship (WSTC) will adopt a new tournament structure for its 2026 edition, featuring four continental qualifying stages followed by a four-team Grand Final in December.
The 2026 cycle will consist of four continental stages: Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, all held throughout 2026.
Each continental championship will produce one champion school team that will directly qualify for the Grand Final, which will take place in December 2026 as a four-team tournament.
The WSTC 2026 will kick off with the Asian Continental stage in Almaty, Kazakhstan in early April.
Only teams representing a single general educational institution (such as a school) may take part in the event. Each team must include at least one boy and at least one girl, with possible exceptions for single-gender schools.
Eligible players must have been born between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018 (inclusive).
Asian Schools Teams Chess Championship 2026
6 Apr 2026 start-date 11 Apr 2026
Type of event Over-the-Board Tournament
Time control Standard
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Official email: worldschoolteam@fide.com
Official website (coming soon): https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/