Doha will host the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2025 from December 27–30, bringing together over 400 elite chess players from around the world.
Top Players and Rising Stars
The men’s field includes Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh Dommaraju, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and other top grandmasters like Fabiano Caruana and Levon Aronian. Rising stars such as 15-year-old Ivan Zemlyanskii and 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus will also compete. Qatar is represented by Hussein Aziz, Khaled Al Jamaat, Hamad Al Kuwari, and Ibrahim Al Janahi.
In the women’s championship, Ju Wenjun leads a strong lineup including Tan Zhongyi, Anna Muzychuk, Alexandra Goryachkina, and Bibisara Assaubayeva.
Tournament Details
The championships kick off with the opening ceremony on Friday, followed by the blitz competition. The total prize fund exceeds €1 million, split between the open and women’s events.
Qatar’s Chess Legacy
Qatar last hosted this event in 2016, and the Qatar Chess Federation sees the 2025 edition as a landmark tournament that will inspire local players and showcase world-class chess in Doha.
