The Women’s World Chess Championship 2026 is set to be one of the most anticipated events in the chess calendar. The match will determine the next Women’s World Chess Champion and will feature defending champion Ju Wenjun, who secured her title in the Women’s World Chess Championship 2025, against a challenger yet to be determined. The dates and host city for the event are still to be announced.
The challenger to Ju Wenjun will emerge from the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, scheduled for April 2026. The tournament will bring together eight of the world’s strongest players, each having earned their spot through top performances in major FIDE events.
Read more: Candidates Chess 2026
Qualification Method
Player
Age
Rating
Top two finishers in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2024–25
Zhu Jiner (China, winner)
22
2536
Aleksandra Goryachkina (FIDE, runner-up)
26
2528
Top three finishers in the Women’s Chess World Cup 2025
Divya Deshmukh (India, winner)
19
2478
Koneru Humpy (India, runner-up)
38
2535
Tan Zhongyi (China, third place)
34
2539
Top two finishers in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament 2025
Kateryna Lagno (FIDE, TBD)
—
—
TBD
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—
Winner of the FIDE Women’s Circuit 2024–25
TBD
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