The FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship is the annual world championship held at rapid time control — typically 15-round Swiss-system, 15 minutes plus 10-second increment per move. The 2026 edition is scheduled for late December; the host city is to be confirmed by FIDE.
The event has been held annually since 2012 in various locations, often paired with the World Blitz Championship in the same calendar window (usually December 26–30). Recent rapid champions include Magnus Carlsen (multiple), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2021, youngest champion ever at 17), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2021 European), and Vladislav Artemiev (2023). On the women’s side: Anna Muzychuk and Bibisara Assaubayeva have multiple titles each.
The Swiss format means players from positions 50 to 200 in the world rating list meet seeded grandmasters frequently. Upsets are common. The 15-round schedule across three days is one of the most physically demanding in chess — 5 games per day, with rounds back-to-back, no rest day. Players who win the title usually have stamina and intuition advantages as much as pure chess strength.
The 2026 edition’s prize fund of $1,000,000 (estimated) is split across the open and women’s sections. Streaming and commentary are provided by FIDE in partnership with Chess.com and Lichess.
For the host announcement, schedule, and broadcast links, see the FIDE calendar in the right column.