FIDE World Team Blitz 2026: Final 8 Locked for Knockout Sunday
There was no time to breathe after the dramatic Rapid Tournament; the action exploded right into the 2026 FIDE World Team Blitz Championship. The stakes were incredibly high: an intense marathon moving from massive 12-team round-robin pools, straight into a two-match direct elimination phase. Out of the 48 starting squads, only the Final 8 Qualified for Sunday's Knockouts: WR Chess, Endgame.AI, Hexamind Chess Team, Mr Birdie and Friends, Dragon Chilling, Uzbekistan, Team MGD1, and Chessgurukul. Photos: Michal Walusza/FIDE
Pool-by-Pool breakdown of Day 1
Pool A: WR Chess Rebounds Dominantly
Defending champions WR Chess came out with a point to prove after a disappointing performance in the Rapid section. They completely asserted their dominance over the group to finish as the top seed. WR Chess clinched the top spot. They were followed out of the group stages by Chess United, Barys, and the Schnappi Krokodil Team, all booking tickets into the Round of 16.
Despite WR Chess's strong run, the Schnappi Krokodil Team forced a dramatic 3-3 draw against the tournament favorites. Both Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana dropped their individual games alongside Alexandra Kosteniuk. However, key middle-board saves by Wesley So and Jan-Krzysztof Duda, alongside a vital amateur board win by team owner Wadim Rosenstein, rescued the draw. Carlsen went on an absolute tear later in the pool stage, winning eight consecutive games before a shocking slip against Xu Xiangyu.
The Legendary Clash: Viswanathan Anand, leading Chess United, rolled back the years against Magnus Carlsen by resurrecting a sharp 1978 Garry Kasparov Sicilian line. Anand's theoretical masterclass dismantled Carlsen in style, but eventually Magnus managed to win the game.
White to play, find the best move
Pool B: Endgame.AI Dominates the Pack
Pool B belonged entirely to the relentless performance of the high-flying top seeds. Endgame.AI put on a masterclass, tearing through the group to finish as the undefeated, dominant number one seed.
Spearheaded by a highly focused Hans Niemann, who celebrated his birthday during the tournament, the squad steamrolled its way to 10 match victories. Backed by flawless contributions from Denis Lazavik and Alexey Sarana, they established themselves as clear championship favorites heading into the knockout rounds.
Pool C: Hexamind Asserts Gridlock
The star-studded rapid contenders easily translated their elite speed skills to the blitz board. The heavy-hitting Hexamind Chess Team comfortably took care of business to grab the top seed out of Pool C.
Pool D: Mr Birdie and Friends Fly High
The group phase concluded with the tournament's most relaxed and beloved surprise package continuing their fairytale run. Mr Birdie and Friends captured the top seed in Pool D. Powered by lower-board masterclasses from Carissa Yip and Ning Yunlong, they sailed through to lead their group into the bracket stage.
Replay Games of Pool Stage
The Round of 16 and the Final Eight
Immediately following the pool round-robins, the cross-pool elimination matches commenced: WR Chess comfortably brushed aside Team Indonesia (5-1 and 4-2). Hexamind Chess Team dismantled the Interstellar Club with clean wins (4-2 and 5.5-0.5), Endgame.AI utterly crushed the Schnappi Krokodil Team 5.5-0.5 and 3.5-2.5. Mr Birdie and Friends moved into the final eight by winning against Sky Chess.
The Indian Contingent: Team MGD1 effortlessly locked up a spot in the final eight, beating Kazchess. Chessgurukul won their game against Chess United to secure a spot in the top 8
Photo Gallery: ChessBase India, FIDE
Video Gallery: Here
Regulations
The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2026 take place in Hong Kong, between June 16 and 22, 2026. The event is open to teams from all over the world. Teams can be made of club members, members of different federations, or any other chess players.
Team composition
Each team shall be composed in accordance with the following requirements:
1. At least six and not more than nine players, including at least:
1.1. one female player,
1.2. One recreational player, other than the one indicated in the previous point, who never achieved a FIDE Standard, Rapid, or Blitz Rating of 2000 Elo points (or unrated) up to and including the March 2025 rating lists.
2. A captain, who may also be one of the players.
Each match is played on six boards. In each match, teams shall have at least:
a. one female player,
b. one recreational player.
Format
The championship consists of 2 events - Rapid, played on June 17-19, and Blitz on June 20-21.
Rapid
Swiss, 12 rounds. The time control: 15 minutes for the first, with an increment of 10 seconds per move starting from move 1.
Blitz
Round robin tournament in the Pools stage and 16 best teams Play-off stage (June 20).
Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and Final (June 21). The time control: 3 minutes for the whole game with an increment of 2 seconds per move starting from move 1.
Prize Fund
The cumulative prize fund of the tournament is €500,000, where €310,000 goes to the rapid event and €190,000 for blitz.
Schedule
Venue: The Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong
Opened in 1980, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium is Hong Kong's premier multi-purpose venue located in the heart of Wan Chai that provides the public with a chance to view and participate in sports, recreation, and culture, all under the same roof.
Important Links
Official Site, Regulations, Pairings and Results, Tickets
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