In 2026, the city will become a global hub of university chess, welcoming student teams from leading universities around the world. It will be the first time Kazakhstan organizes a global university team championship under the auspices of FIDE.

The General Partner of the championship is Freedom Holding Corp..

The championship will consist of three stages.

The first stage will feature online qualification tournaments. Two 7-round Swiss tournaments will be held on 2 May at 19:00 UTC and 3 May at 10:00 UTC. The top 16 teams from each qualifier will advance to the next round.

The second stage will be an online knockout round. The matches will take place on 2 May for the Americas and 9 May for Eurasia. In total, 32 teams will compete for eight places in the final stage in Almaty.

The final stage in Almaty will bring together 16 teams. Eight teams will qualify through the online stages, while another eight will receive wild cards from FIDE and the organizers.

The over-the-board competition in Almaty will consist of a group stage followed by playoffs.

During the group stage, the 16 teams will be divided into four groups of balanced strength. Each team will play a double round-robin. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals, the third-place match, and the final.

All games in the over-the-board stage will be played with a rapid time control of 45 minutes per player plus a 30-second increment per move starting from move one.

Participation is limited to university students. Each player must have completed secondary education and must be currently enrolled at a university and pursuing a degree. Eligible players must be born between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2008.

For the online stages, teams may register four to eight players, including at least two women and two men. For the over-the-board final, teams must register four to five players, including at least one woman and one man. Each match is played on four boards, and both genders must be represented in every lineup.

The championship prize fund includes €25,000 for the winning team, €15,000 for the silver medalists, and €10,000 for the bronze medalists. The champions will be crowned World University Team Chess Champions and will receive the FIDE championship trophy.

The organizers will cover travel and accommodation for the finalist teams within established limits. Preparations in Kazakhstan are already underway to ensure professional playing conditions and a comfortable environment for participants from around the world.

The championship is designed to give university students from across the globe an opportunity to compete at the highest level while developing strategic thinking, teamwork, and decision-making under pressure. It is a stage where the potential of future champions and leaders can emerge.

More details and updates are available on the official tournament website:

worlduniversities2026.fide.com

Stay tuned for further announcements.

The online qualifiers for the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026 have officially started. The over-the-board finals will take place in Almaty from 3–10 August with a total prize fund of €50,000.

The official partner of the qualification stage is Lichess.

Qualification format

The online qualification consists of three stages:

* May 2 — Swiss Tournament #1

* May 9 — Swiss Tournament #2

* May 16–17 — Knockout stage

The top 16 teams from each Swiss tournament advance to the knockout stage. Following the playoffs, 8 university teams will qualify for the over-the-board finals in Almaty.

Global participation

University teams from all continents are taking part in the qualifiers — representing the USA, Mexico, Chile, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, New Zealand, Armenia, Poland, Kazakhstan, and many other countries.

Among the participants are leading universities such as ETH Zurich, Yale University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, National University of Singapore, Monash University, University of Texas at Dallas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad de Chile, University of Auckland, University of Pretoria, Tongji University, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Nazarbayev University, SDU University, Kazakh-British Technical University, and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

This level of representation makes the qualifiers comparable in strength to the final stage of the championship.

Live broadcast

The live broadcast of the first online qualifier is available here:

https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com/live

https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-world-university-team-chess-championship-2026–online-qualifier-1/h0hmYKlG

The online stage is already showcasing a very high level of competition, underlining the status of the championship as one of the most prestigious university chess events in the world.

FWUTCC-2026: The Americas and Africa Have Determined Their Representatives for Stage 2

On May 2, the 16 representatives from the Americas and Africa region for Stage 2 of the 2026 FIDE World University Team Chess Championship were determined. The final stage of the tournament will take place in Almaty from August 4 to 9.

Strongly supporting the development of chess within the student community, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) had originally planned to hold the first World University Team Chess Championship in Paris from July 27 to 31, 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the event from taking place.

As a result, the championship — the 1st FIDE World University Online Rapid Championship — was held online from March 20 to 25, 2021, on the Chess24.com playing platform. A total of 884 students (178 women and 706 men) from 66 countries participated, representing 194 universities from 62 countries.

Kazakhstan was represented by teams from International Information Technology University (Almaty), Astana IT University (Astana), and L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana), which finished in 16th, 36th, and 164th place respectively. The winner was an international team representing the University of Missouri (USA).

Now comes a new edition — the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026 (FWUTCC-2026). Eligible participants are students born between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2008, who are officially enrolled in a university degree or diploma program and represent their respective university team.

The championship will consist of three stages. Stage 1 — the Online Swiss Qualifiers — began on May 2 with an online tournament hosted on the Lichess.org platform. Teams from 22 universities representing the Americas and Africa region (OSQ1) competed in a 7-round Swiss-system tournament with a rapid time control of 10+3 (10 minutes per game with a 3-second increment per move starting from move one).

The following teams secured the 16 qualification spots for Stage 2 — the Online Knockout, which will take place on May 16–17 on Lichess.org:

1. Saint Louis University (USA) — 13 match points, 23 board points;
2. Webster University (St. Louis, USA) — 12, 22;
3. University of Texas at Dallas (USA) — 11, 19½;
4. UTRGV, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, USA) — 10, 21;
5. Texas Tech University (Lubbock, USA) — 9, 19;
6. Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile) — 9, 16;
7. Yale University (New Haven, USA) — 8, 17½;
8. Universidad Anáhuac México — 8, 16½;
9. KBTU (Kazakh-British Technical University, Kazakhstan) — 8, 14;
10. BITS Pilani, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (India) — 8, 13½;
11. Birzeit University (Palestine) — 8, 13½;
12. CUT, Chinhoyi University of Technology (Zimbabwe) — 6, 12½;
13. Universidad de El Salvador (San Salvador, El Salvador) — 6, 12½;
14. Universidad de La Plata (Argentina) — 6, 12½;
15. University of Pretoria (South Africa) — 6, 12;
16. University of Tripoli (Libya) — 6, 12.

It should be noted that the level of competition was exceptionally high. Suffice it to mention the line-ups of the Top 4 teams:

— Saint Louis University: GM Aryan Chopra (2637, India), GM Bharath Subramaniyam H. (2599, India), GM Nikolozi Kacharava (2528, Georgia), and WGM Thalia Cervantes Landeiro (2262, USA);

— Webster University: GM Awonder Liang (2718, USA), GM Francesco Sonis (2556, Italy), IM Anna Sargsyan (2360, USA), and WIM Munika Akshaya Bommini (2128, India);

— University of Texas at Dallas: GM Aditya S. Samant (2516, India), GM Kaustuv Chatterjee (2484, India), GM Yair Parkhov (2445, Israel), and WGM Maili-Jade Ouellet (2325, Canada);

— UTRGV, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: GM Gleb Dudin (2579, Hungary), GM José Gabriel Cardoso (2543, Colombia), GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux (2533, Canada), and WIM Martina Starosta (2175, Poland).

As for the KBTU team, which was allowed by special permission from FIDE to compete in the Americas and Africa region, it was represented by Vladislav Malygin (2187), Arystan Dosmukhambetov (2036), Merey Mukhametkali (1921), and Yeldana Kaliakhmet (1655).

On May 9, the Europe and Asia region qualifier (OSQ2) will take place on Lichess.org, where 36 teams will compete for another 16 places in Stage 2. Among them will be six teams from Kazakhstan: KazGASA, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, IITU, and SDU University (all from Almaty), as well as Nazarbayev University and KAZGASA University (both from Astana).

Fully supporting the development of chess in the student community, the International Chess Federation is holding the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026 (FWUTCC-2026). Eligible participants are those born between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2008 inclusive, who are enrolled in a degree or diploma program at the university whose team they represent.

The championship will be held in three stages. Stage 1 (Online Swiss Qualifiers) began on May 2 with an online tournament on the Lichess.org playing platform. Teams from 22 universities from the Americas and Africa competed (OSQ1), and 16 teams earned qualification for Stage 2 (Online Knockout), which will take place on May 16 and 17, also on Lichess.org, including the team from Kazakh-British Technical University, which played against teams from the Americas and Africa by special permission from International Chess Federation.

https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com/online-swiss-qualifiers

On May 9, again on Lichess.org, 57 teams from India, China, Germany, Poland, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and other leading chess nations of Europe and Asia (OSQ2), including 9 from Kazakhstan, determined their 16 representatives for Stage 2: Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Satbayev University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, International Information Technology University, Narxoz University, Coventry University Kazakhstan and SDU University (all in Almaty), as well as Nazarbayev University and Kazakh National University of Sport (both in Astana).

Teams, in a four-on-four format, played 7 rounds under the Swiss system with a rapid time control of 10+3 (10 minutes per game with an increment of 3 seconds per move starting from move one).

A team received 2 points for a match win and 1 point for a draw. In the event of a tie in Match Points (MP) between two or more teams, the first tiebreak was total Game Points (GP), followed by EMGSB (an extended Sonneborn-Berger coefficient calculated as MP multiplied by the opponents’ GP), and then Buchholz.

The 16 teams that qualified for Stage 2 (Online Knockout), to be held on May 16 and 17 on Lichess.org, were:

1. Ural State Mining University – 13 match points, 24½ game points;
2. Universitas Gunadarma – 12, 20½;
3. SRM Institute of Science and Technology – 11, 17½;
4. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University – 10, 19½;
5. National Technical University of Athens – 10, 18;
6. International Information Technology University – 10, 17½;
7. Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute – 10, 17½;
8. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos – 10, 17;
9. Nazarbayev University – 10, 14;
10. Jadavpur University – 9, 19;
11. University of Melbourne – 9, 16;
12. Far Eastern University – 9, 15½;
13. Samarkand State Pedagogical Institute – 9, 15½;
14. Auckland University Chess Association – 9, 15½;
15. Monash University – 9, 14½;
16. Samara National Research University – 8, 16.

It is worth noting the very high standard of the competition. Suffice it to list the lineups of the top three teams:

— Ural State Mining University: Arseniy Nesterov (GM, 2599), Rudik Makarian (GM, 2551), Sergey Lobanov (GM, 2515), Leya Garifullina (IM, 2431);

— Universitas Gunadarma (Indonesia): Gilbert Elroy Tarigan (IM, 2421), Aditya Bagus Arfan (IM, 2370), Fabian Glen Mariano (FM, 2361), Diadjang Teresa Singgih (WIM, 2308);

— SRMIST (India): Harsh Suresh (IM, 2435), Raahul V. S. (GM, 2402), Dinesh Rajan M. (FM, 2289), Swapna C. N. (1840).

Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan’s best-performing teams did very well, fielding the following lineups:

— Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty): Yerlan Tleukhanov (FM, 2208), Bekarys Tursunali (2023), Sultan Amanzhol (1982), Darina Akpanbetova (1569);

— International Information Technology University (Almaty): Aituar Zhukenov (FM, 2262), Abzal Amirali (2127), Dias Toibol (1943), Dariga Azhmukhan (1549);

— Nazarbayev University (Astana): Tleuzhan Yerkenov (1893), Amir Bakhitbek (1710), Iliyas Gabdulkapar (1736), Aruzhan Kaimoldina (1623).

The other Kazakh teams finished as follows:

25 Narxoz University – 7, 16;

31 Kazakh National University of Sport – 7, 13½;

48 SDU University – 4, 12½;

52 Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering – 4, 7;

56 Satbayev University – 2, 4;

57 Coventry University Kazakhstan – 2, 2.

https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com/stage-2-online-swiss-qualifiers

Thus, in Stage 2 (Online Knockout), to be held on May 16 and 17 on Lichess.org, four Kazakh university teams will compete among the 32 participants: Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, International Information Technology University, Kazakh-British Technical University, and Nazarbayev University.

The first stage of the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship 2026 has officially concluded, with university teams from around the world competing in two online Swiss qualifiers for places in the next phase of the competition.

Organised by FIDE and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, together with the Almaty city administration and support from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the championship has already attracted strong international participation in its inaugural edition. The over-the-board finals will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from August 3-9, 2026.

The championship format includes three stages: two Online Swiss Qualifiers, an Online Knockout stage, and the final over-the-board event in Almaty. Following the completion of the two Swiss qualifiers, the top 16 teams from each event have advanced to Stage 2, the Online Knockout.

Qualifier 1: Americas and Africa (May 2)

The first online Swiss qualifier took place on May 2 on Lichess.org, bringing together 22 university teams from the Americas and Africa regions in a seven-round Swiss-system tournament played at a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus 3 seconds per move. After the event’s completion, 16 teams had secured their spots in Stage 2.

Saint Louis University (USA) came out on top with 13 match points and 23 game points, with Webster University (St. Louis, USA) finishing second on 12 match points. The University of Texas at Dallas rounded out the top three, ahead of UTRGV (The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) and Texas Tech University, both of which also advanced comfortably.

The strength of the field was notable from the outset. Saint Louis University fielded a lineup that included GM Aryan Chopra (2637, India), GM Bharath Subramaniyam H. (2599, India), GM Nikolozi Kacharava (2528, Georgia), and WGM Thalia Cervantes Landeiro (2262, USA). Webster University’s roster, led by GM Awonder Liang (2718, USA), was also very strong and included GM Francesco Sonis (2556, Italy), IM Anna Sargsyan (2360, USA), and WIM Munika Akshaya Bommini (2128, India).

The 16 teams that qualified from Qualifier 1 are:

Qualifier 2: Europe and Asia (May 9)

The second qualifier, held on May 9 also on Lichess.org, featured 36 university teams from the Europe and Asia region and proved equally competitive. Ural State Mining University finished first with 13 match points and 24.5 game points, ahead of Universitas Gunadarma (Indonesia) in second and SRMIST (India) in third.

Ural State Mining University entered the event with the highest average rating in the field at 2524. The team included GMs Arseniy Nesterov (2599), Rudik Makarian (2551), and Sergei Lobanov (2515), as well as IM Leya Garifullina (2431).

Universitas Gunadarma represented Indonesia with a strong lineup consisting of IM Gilbert Elroy Tarigan (2421), IM Aditya Bagus Arfan (2370), FM Fabian Glen Mariano (2361), and WIM Diajeng Theresa Singgih (2308). SRMIST, which finished third overall, was led by IM Harsh Suresh (2435) and GM Raahul V S (2402).

The 16 teams that qualified from Qualifier 2 are:

With both Swiss qualifiers complete, attention now turns to Stage 2, the Online Knockout, scheduled for May 16-17 on Lichess.org. The 32 qualified teams will compete in a knockout format, with the top eight teams earning spots in the over-the-board finals in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The finals, which will take place from August 3-9, 2026, will bring together the eight surviving teams advancing from the knockout stage, alongside eight wildcard teams invited by FIDE and the organisers, competing for the championship title.

The broadcast of the knockout stage will be available at: https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com/live

For full tournament information, regulations and live results, visit the official championship website: https://worlduniversities2026.fide.com

Fully supporting the development of chess within the student community, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is organizing the 2026 FIDE World University Team Chess Championship (FWUTCC-2026). This tournament is open to players born from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2008, inclusive, who are officially registered to obtain an academic degree or diploma at the higher education institution for whose team they compete.

The championship features three stages.

During the first stage, the Online Swiss Qualifiers, held on May 2 and May 9 in an online format on the Lichess.org gaming platform, the top 32 university teams were determined. Among them were four Kazakhstani teams, including Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, IITU, and KBTU, all based in Almaty, as well as Nazarbayev University from Astana.

These teams continued their campaign in the second stage, the Online Knockout, which took place on May 16 and May 17, also on Lichess.org. As in the first stage, the teams competed in a four-versus-four format under a rapid time control of 10+3, allocating 10 minutes per game with a 3-second increment for every move starting from the first. Initially, on May 16, the teams from the Americas and Africa region (OSQ1) faced the aforementioned top representatives of the Europe and Asia region (OSQ2).

1.Samara National Research University vs Saint Louis University (USA);

2.Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Lima, Peru) vs KBTU (Kazakh-British Technical University, Kazakhstan);

3.Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) vs Webster University (St. Louis, USA);

4.Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI, Ukraine) vs Birzeit University (Palestine);

5.Auckland University Chess Association (Auckland, New Zealand) vs University of Texas at Dallas (USA);

6.IITU (International IT University, Almaty) vs BITS Pilani (Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India);

7.SamDPI (Samarkand State Pedagogical Institute, Uzbekistan) vs UTRGV (The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, USA);

8.NTUA (National Technical University of Athens, Greece) vs CUT (Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe);

9.FEU (Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines) vs Texas Tech University (Lubbock, USA);

10.Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty) vs Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina);

11.University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia) vs Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile);

12.SRMIST (SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India) vs Universidad de El Salvador (San Salvador, El Salvador);

13.Jadavpur University (Kolkata, India) vs Yale University (New Haven, USA);

14.Universitas Gunadarma (Depok, Indonesia) vs University of Pretoria (South Africa);

15.Nazarbayev University (Astana) vs Universidad Anáhuac México (Mexico);

16.Ural State Mining University (Yekaterinburg) vs University of Tripoli (Libya).

On May 17, the 16 winning teams, which included only one representative from Kazakhstan, competed in another round of play-off matches to determine the eight teams advancing to the Over-the-Board Final.

1.Saint Louis University (USA) vs Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Lima, Peru): 3½–½, 2–2;

2.University of Texas at Dallas (USA) vs BITS Pilani (Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India): 4–0, 3½–½;

3.Universidad Anáhuac México (Mexico) vs Ural State Mining University (Yekaterinburg): 0–4, 0–4;

4.UTRGV (The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, USA) vs NTUA (National Technical University of Athens, Greece): 1½–2½, 1–3;

5.Webster University (St. Louis, USA) vs Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI, Ukraine): 3–1, 2½–1½;

6.Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile) vs SRMIST (SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India): 2–2, 2½–1½;

7.Jadavpur University (Kolkata, India) vs Universitas Gunadarma (Depok, Indonesia): 2–2, 1½–2½;

8.Far Eastern University (FEU, Manila, Philippines) vs Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty): 2½–1½, 0–4. Following the two-match rapid session, a 3+2 blitz tie-breaker was played. Since the blitz encounter also ended in a 2–2 draw, the match proceeded to an Armageddon game, where colors were determined by lots under a time control of 4+2 for White against 3+2 for Black, and where a draw would result in a victory for Black. The sudden-death game secured the overall match victory for the Kazakhstani team.

The team of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty) consisted of: Bekarys Tursunali (2023), FM Yerlan Tleukhanov (2208), Sultan Amanzhol (1982), and WCM Asel Lesbekova (Kyrgyzstan, 1949).

Consequently, the eight teams that advanced to the final stage through the two online phases are:

1.Saint Louis University (USA);

2.University of Texas at Dallas (USA);

3.Ural State Mining University (Yekaterinburg);

4.NTUA (National Technical University of Athens, Greece);

5.Webster University (St. Louis, USA);

6.Universidad de Chile (Santiago, Chile);

7.Universitas Gunadarma (Depok, Indonesia);

8.Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Almaty).

The final stage, the Over-the-Board Final, will take place in Almaty from August 4 to August 9, bringing together 16 teams: the 8 winners of the second stage listed above plus 8 wild card entries invited by FIDE and the organizers.

Initially, these 16 teams, divided into four balanced groups, will play a double round-robin tournament to determine the top two teams from each group. The tournament will then proceed to a play-off format, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, a third-place match, and the final match for first place.

All games of the final stage will be contested under a fast classical time control of 45+30.

On August 4–9, 2026, Almaty will become the center of world university chess. Kazakhstan's largest city will host the finals of the FIDE World University Team Chess Championship, the first FIDE world team championship among universities. The opening ceremony will take place on August 4.

16 university teams are participating. Among them are universities with centuries-old academic history and long-standing chess traditions, such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard. The chess clubs of these universities have existed for more than a century and a half. Their teams represent not only leading educational institutions, but an entire era in the history of university chess.

Hosting the tournament will continue Kazakhstan's large-scale cooperation with FIDE. In November 2025, Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. The parties discussed the further development of cooperation, holding major international competitions in Kazakhstan, and implementing joint chess projects. The President of Kazakhstan emphasized that chess is not only a sport, but also an important part of intellectual culture, upbringing, and education. Special attention in the country is paid to the development of chess infrastructure and the promotion of the game among children and youth.

“Hosting the first FIDE championship of this kind means a high honor and responsibility. Therefore, the choice of Kazakhstan speaks to the trust our country enjoys in the world today. It is also important that university chess creates a foundation for cooperation far beyond sports. Sitting at the board here are those who, in just ten years, will head companies and state institutions. Connections born during student years often turn out to be the strongest. And this, perhaps, is the main result that will remain outside the standings. Almaty is the ideal choice for such a story. It is the largest student center of the country, and the city knows how to speak to young people in their language. We want the participants to see not only strong organization of the tournament, but also hospitable Kazakhstan. Years later, someone among them will decide where to launch a project or open a business. It will be great if at that moment they remember our country with warmth,” emphasized Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

Representatives of universities from North and South America, Europe, and Asia will meet at a single venue. The organizers are also working to expand the geography of participants so that university teams from all continents are represented in the finals.

“This championship will unite universities with outstanding academic and chess histories. Representatives of higher education institutions whose chess clubs have existed for more than 150 years will come to Almaty. In total, 79 teams from 49 countries competed in the qualifying stages. Such scale confirms the high international status of the tournament and strengthens Kazakhstan’s position as a country capable of hosting world-class intellectual competitions,” noted Darmen Sadvakasov, First Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

The participation of American universities known for strong student chess programs is of particular interest. Saint Louis University, Webster University, and the University of Texas at Dallas have repeatedly won major intercollegiate competitions in the USA. Kazakhstan will be represented at the home championship by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Kazakh National University of Sports.

“Kazakhstan creates every opportunity for young people to receive a quality education, develop their talents, and achieve high results. Chess fosters strategic thinking, discipline, responsibility, and strong decision-making skills. For our university students, this home World Championship is a unique opportunity to gain competitive experience at the highest level and prove that Kazakhstani youth can compete on equal terms with representatives of the world's leading universities,” said Gulmira Dauletova, Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

The final stage will bring together 16 teams: eight of them won spots through online qualification, and eight more received special invitations from FIDE and the organizers.

In the first stage, the participants will be divided into four groups. The two strongest teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, where they will continue the fight in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and decisive medal matches.

Each match will be played on four boards. According to the regulations, the playing lineup of each team must include at least one man and one woman. The total prize fund of the championship will be 50,000 euros.

In addition to the world team championship among universities, another bright international event will take place in Almaty on August 4–5: the national team of Kazakhstan will play against the World Team (Under 18).

Seven chess players will perform in each match: six main players and one reserve. Women's and men's teams will be represented in age categories under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 years old.

In total, 24 young chess players will take part, playing on 12 boards. For Kazakhstani athletes, this will be a unique opportunity to test their strength against the strongest peers from around the world, and for spectators, to see future stars of world chess in action.

The championship will be not only a fight for the world title, but also a meeting place for young intellectual leaders representing leading educational centers from different countries. Holding it will strengthen the positions of Almaty and Kazakhstan on the map of world chess and give new momentum to the development of university sports in the country.

The organizers of the competition are the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, and the Akimat of Almaty City. The general partner of the event is the Freedom Holding Corp. group of companies. Official partners: Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty Tourism Bureau and Visit Almaty, Herbalife, online platform Lichess.org, beverage brand "Zigi-Zagi", and smart watch brand Qutty Band. Information partners of the competition: Channel One Eurasia, Qazsport, Khabar Agency, 24.kz, Jibek Joly, Silk Way, 7tv, Astana TV Channel, MIR TV, Sport+, Kursiv, Kazinform, Tengrinews, TengriSport, Vesti.kz, Amanat Media Group, NewTimes, Bes.media, Aikyn.kz, Liter.kz, DK News, Ult.kz, Sportinform.kz, Azattyq Ruhy, Turkystan.kz, Zhuldyz FM, Radio NS, Orda.fm, Toppress, Today Info, Chessno Govorya, ChessBase.