The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess (WOM) convened its official meeting during the FIDE Congress 2025, bringing together commission members, working group leaders, and guests for a comprehensive review of ongoing projects and upcoming priorities. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board Dana Reizniece, and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich joined the session as well, reaffirming the strong institutional support for women’s chess initiatives.
The Commission opened with a warm introduction from Anastasia Sorokina, WOM Chair, who presented the Informative Report for 2025 and then outlined the commission’s 2026 plans, including preparations for activities at the Chess Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan. Her presentation highlighted several confirmed goals for the upcoming year, based on the 2026 Roadmap:
Queen’s Gambit Challenge
The next stage of the initiative will begin with Period 3, designed to support intermediate players and potential national team members. The project will focus on helping new National Female Teams prepare for their first Olympiad, with activities starting in March 2026.
Chess for Protection Project – Girls’ Club in Kakuma
The commission will continue its support of the refugee team from the Girls’ Club in Kakuma, accompanying their preparation toward participation in the Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan.
ChessMom 2025 / 2026
Updated application details for the next ChessMom edition will be released in the coming months. WOM encourages more national teams to register for the 2026 Chess Olympiad, continuing the project’s effort to support mothers in chess.
Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI)
Work led by David Smerdon will continue, with GECI further developed as an innovative measure for evaluating gender equality in the international chess community. The full three-year research results will be presented next year during the Olympiad.
Chess4All
WOM will maintain its flagship project Chess4All, with the next event scheduled for Riga, Latvia, in December.
Seminars for Women
Seminars remain a central part of WOM’s mission to support professional opportunities for women.
Confirmed activities include:
- A DGT Seminar in cooperation with the Stockholm Chess Federation and DGT during the Rilton Cup and seminars for IO, FA and IA norms.
- Participation in all seminars will be free for women.
Informative Reports by Working Group Leaders
Following the Chair’s report, working group leaders presented updates on their respective projects:
- Ulkar Umudova – Progress and plans for the Chess Queens’ Festival 2025, which continues to attract wide global participation.
- TrisAnn Richards – Updates on the Queen’s Gambit Challenge, focusing on the formation of new female national teams.
- Francisco Cruz Arce – A report on the ChessMom Project, outlining recent progress and next steps.
- David Smerdon – An overview of the ongoing gender equity research, now in its third year, with final results to be shared at the Olympiad.
The meeting concluded with an overview of wider WOM plans for 2026 and an open discussion.
Conclusion
The Commission for Women’s Chess continues to advance its mission with dedication, energy, and a sincere belief in the potential of every girl and woman who discovers chess. Across all continents and all levels of the game, we work to open doors: supporting new national teams, bringing chess to remote communities, helping women earn professional qualifications, and encouraging organisers and professionals whose work strengthens the global chess ecosystem.
Our efforts are not only about creating opportunities for women; they are about ensuring that the chess world becomes a place where access, recognition, and participation are fair for everyone. Achieving this balance requires commitment from all members of the chess community, and WOM is proud to collaborate with those who share this vision of a more equal, welcoming environment.
This year’s meeting once again showed how broad and active our work has become, and how united our team is in carrying it forward. With strong engagement from our working groups, steady progress in long-term projects, and the visible support of FIDE leadership, we are proud of what we achieved this year and are looking forward to 2026.
We move ahead with one shared conviction:
when women thrive in chess, the whole chess world grows stronger.
Guided by this belief, the Commission will continue supporting, empowering, and inspiring women and everyone working to build a chess community where equal opportunities are the norm, not the exception.
