The FIDE World Women’s Team Championship 2025 will take place in Linares, Spain, from November 17 to 24, 2025. The event will bring together the world’s top national women’s teams, as they compete for the prestigious title of World Team Champion. The World Women’s Team Chess Championship 2025 will be one of the first events to use the Fast Classic time control, which is also part of the Total World Chess Championship 2026. The tournament is a major event in The Chess Calendar and the Women Chess Calendar
Volodimir Kovalchuk, Vice President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation informed about an appeal filed by the Ukrainian team and says, “The Ukrainian delegation has filed an appeal against the participation of the Russian women’s team in the World Chess Championship in Linares! Being here on site, we wrote the appeal and officially registered it! After all, this federation is illegally taking part here under the cover of FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich!”
The Chess Federation Russia (CFR) does not want to pay attention to the protest of the Chess Federation of Ukraine with the requirement to exclude the Russian women’s team from the participants of the World Team Championship. This was stated Andrei Filatov for TASS. “How can I comment on this? There is a good saying that the caravan is coming. We do not want to pay attention to this,” Filatov said.
Women's World Team Chess Championship 2025 with Fast Classical, Team FIDE, and more innovations. Do you approve the changes? — Chessdom (@chessdom) November 7, 2025
The venue: the mythical Linares 
https://t.co/12twiDhh3E
FIDE Legal Advisor Aleksandr Martynov provided Chess.com with a letter from IOC’s Sports Director Pierre Ducrey, addressed to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and signed on July 28, stating that the IOC “would not take a position” on the matter.
“Since this decision would not impact the Olympic Games, should FIDE decide to approve the admission of women teams of neutral athletes in relation to the World Women’s Team Championships, the IOC would not take a position on this. “
Martynov argues that the phrasing satisfies the requirement: “They confirm that they are fully informed about the situation, raise no objections, and leave the decision to the federation’s discretion. This is clearly a non-objection letter.”
The letter by IOC sent to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich was signed July 28. Chess.com continues, “The Ukrainian delegation maintains the opposite: That the absence of a direct affirmative approval constitutes lack of approval, and therefore FIDE is in breach of its own rule.”