One month ago, on 20 July, chess communities around the world came together to celebrate International Chess Day. Today, we look back at some of the wonderful celebrations shared with the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess – and what a journey it has been: from Madagascar to New Zealand, from South Africa to Costa Rica, with celebrations reaching six continents.
As part of our International Chess Day initiative, WOM encouraged federations, clubs, and chess communities to organize events that would bring people together through chess, with a particular focus on creating welcoming and inclusive opportunities for girls and women to participate.
The response showed just how diverse and global these celebrations can be. We received reports and photographs from nine countries across six continents:
🌍 Africa: Madagascar, South Africa
🌏 Asia: India
🌍 Europe: Austria, Cyprus, France
🌏 Oceania: New Zealand
🌎 North America: Costa Rica
🌎 South America: Argentina
The celebrations took many different forms, from large youth championships and international tournaments to public chess activities, educational programmes, and creative community events.
Chess bringing communities together
In Costa Rica, 316 young players, many of them girls, gathered for the National Championship. Participants came from different parts of the country, including indigenous communities, showing how chess can connect people across backgrounds, cultures, and distances.
In Cyprus, the United by Chess Rapid 2026 brought together 82 players representing 11 chess federations, alongside a dedicated event for younger children. Women and girls were actively represented, with dedicated prizes, while an educational exhibition explored the history of the FIDE Candidates Tournament and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament.
In South Africa, more than 30 children, boys and girls aged 10–15, celebrated at the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature. Chess was combined with storytelling, poetry, music, dance, and a film screening, showing how the game can become part of wider educational and cultural experiences.
In Madagascar, the Ligue Analamanga des Échecs brought chess into a local restaurant in Antananarivo, creating a relaxed space where visitors could play friendly games and discover chess through free introductions. More than 20 participants, including around 10 women, joined the celebration.
In New Zealand, the Chessroad Squad Tournament featured a special message board where players shared drawings and reflections on what chess means to them. The board quickly filled with messages about kindness, friendship, respect, sportsmanship, challenge, fun, and the joy of chess – a beautiful reflection of the values the game can inspire both on and off the board.
In France, our valued partners at Les Fous de la Vieille Tour – Saint-Tropez Chess Club celebrated International Chess Day for the 6th consecutive year, continuing a wonderful tradition of bringing chess to the heart of Saint-Tropez under their motto, “Chess for Everyone.” The event once again welcomed players and visitors from France and around the world.
In Argentina, Club 64 took chess to the sidewalks, setting up chess tables in the streets of their city on 20 July and encouraging both passers-by and other local clubs to join the celebration. The fantastic turnout and curiosity of people passing by showed the impact of simply bringing chess into public spaces and making it easy for anyone to stop, watch, and play.
In Austria, Chess at the Beach brought chess in a fun way to Strandbad Klagenfurt on the shores of Lake Wörthersee. Around 100 participants and visitors joined throughout the day, which included children’s chess classes, open games for beach visitors and families, and an evening blitz tournament. The event showed how chess can thrive in unconventional settings, with generations sharing the board – and even a memorable game played on a stand-up paddleboard!
Creating a more inclusive chess community
Across the different celebrations, one message stood out: there are many ways to make chess more accessible, welcoming, and equitable.
Some organizers focused on encouraging girls and women to participate and compete. Others brought chess into public and cultural spaces, welcomed newcomers, or created opportunities for people from communities that may have fewer opportunities to engage with the game.
Together, these events showed that equity in chess can take many forms – from increasing the visibility of girls and women, to reaching new communities and creating spaces where people of different ages, backgrounds, and levels can feel welcome at the board.
From youth championships and international tournaments to public chess activities and creative community programmes, International Chess Day 2026 offered a wonderful snapshot of the many ways chess can bring people together.
Across six continents, the celebrations reflected the spirit of a truly global chess community – and the belief that there is a place for everyone in chess.
Thank you
The FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the organizers, federations, clubs, coaches, volunteers, players, and communities who took part in the initiative.
Thank you for your hard work, enthusiasm, and creativity, and for sharing your reports, stories, photographs, and beautiful moments with us. Your contributions allowed us to see how International Chess Day was celebrated in different corners of the world and to share that spirit with the wider chess community.
