Between 3 August and 14 September 2026 the FIDE Women in Chess Commission ran its first global survey of women and girls in chess. After duplicate submissions were removed, 672 responses from 127 federations were analysed. Respondents range from junior players to Woman Grandmasters, and include arbiters, trainers, organisers and federation officials from every continent.
Six things stand out from what they told us.
- Chess starts early and at home. More than half of respondents (55%) were introduced to chess before the age of ten, and 55% came to the game through family or community. Only 36% had regular coaching while growing up. Coaching access varies sharply by region: 37% of respondents competing in Africa had no coaching at all, against 24% in Europe.
- The main barriers are cost and time. Financial cost (66%) and time (48%) top the list of barriers, and 84% describe the barriers they faced as major or moderate. Chess remains extremely or very important to 72% of respondents.
- Discrimination and harassment are common. Sixty-three per cent have experienced gender bias in chess settings and 38% sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour. Among adults these rise to 70% and 46%, and among FIDE-titled women to 81% and 55%. Three-quarters (76%) report at least one form of discrimination or harassment. Reported gender bias peaks among women aged 18 to 34 and is highest among those competing in the Americas and Europe.
- Those who have experienced bias are the ones thinking of leaving. Forty-four per cent have considered stepping away from chess. Taking everything else into account, having experienced gender bias triples the odds of considering leaving, being aged 18 to 24 more than doubles them, and holding a FIDE title doubles them. Cost and time, once these are allowed for, make no difference.
- Role models are scarce. Fewer than half (44%) have ever had a female role model or mentor in chess, and only a third (33%) feel adequately represented in their regional chess community.
- Women already run much of the game. Nearly half of respondents (47%) coach, arbitrate, organise or administer, and half (51%) hold more than one role. What they ask for is concrete: financial support (65%), more local tournaments (60%), better coaching access (52%) and more women in leadership (46%).
Read the full report, with more details, the statistics and importantly, recommendations here:
