The Queens Online Chess Festival, taking place throughout March, has started and already brought together hundreds of women and girls from around the world through a series of continental qualification tournaments. The festival began with the African qualifier, followed by Europe, while the Asian event, all attracting hundreds of participants.
The initiative is part of the global Chess Women’s Day Celebration organized by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess.
The continental qualification tournaments have already attracted strong participation and exciting competition.
In the African Qualifier, more than 100 players from 27 countries took part in the event, demonstrating the growing enthusiasm for women’s chess across the continent. Emerging victorious was Sandra Osarugue Omoruyi of Nigeria, who earned the title Queen of Africa and secured her place in the upcoming semifinal stage of the festival.
The European Qualifier also saw impressive international participation, with 129 players from 35 countries competing for the continental title. The tournament was won by Khadija Khalilova of Azerbaijan, who became the Queen of Europe and advanced to the semifinals.
Meanwhile, the Asian Qualification Tournament recently brought together nearly 300 participants, highlighting the remarkable reach and popularity of the festival across the region. The final standings are still to be confirmed.
Organized as a global celebration of women’s chess, the Queens Online Chess Festival provides a unique opportunity for players from different continents to compete, connect, and share their passion for the game. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many players expressing appreciation for an event that promotes inclusivity, friendship, and opportunities for women and girls in chess.
We thank all players for their participation and kind words. The festival will continue with American Qualifiers on March 15, and then the Semifinals on March 22, followed by the Final on March 29, where the continental champions and top performers will compete for the overall title.
