FIDE has run a World Team Championship (classical) since 1985, but a team-format rapid event at world-championship level has not existed before. The 2026 inaugural Hong Kong edition is FIDE’s attempt to give the rapid format the same multi-day, federation-team structure that classical team chess has had for forty years.
Format
Round-robin among qualifying national teams (40 federations qualified through continental zonals), four boards per team, rapid at 15+10 and blitz at 3+2. Run as two parallel events with separate standings and prize funds. A separate amateur cup runs alongside for non-elite club teams.