Author: web@chessa.co.za

2026 NATIONAL SCHOOLS CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS:
CONFIRMED PROGRAMME AND 2027 INTERNATIONAL
SELECTION UPDATE

Chess South Africa (Chess SA) wishes to inform players, parents, coaches, schools, provincial chess affiliates and other stakeholders of a scheduling clash between two important national chess events taking
place in December 2026.

The Mzanzi National Chess Championships are scheduled for 14–19 December 2026 in Bloemfontein, Free State, while the National Schools Chess Championship is scheduled for 11–15 December 2026 in Gauteng. This overlap presents a challenge for young players who may wish to participate in both events.

Chess South Africa is deeply concerned about the unresolved visa challenges affecting members of our delegation and several other African representatives attending the Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress in Samarkand

The AOC, Free State Chess and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Mzansi Youth Chess Championship 2026 hereby issue a Call for Applications for the appointment of Arbiters and Fair Play Officers for the Mzansi Youth Chess Championship 2026.

Registration opens for the African Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026

FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), with the support of its general partner Freedom Holding Corp. invite all FIDE member federations from Africa to participate in the African Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 (WSTC 2026).

The event will be held in the Cape Town area, South Africa, from 6 July (arrival) to 11 July (departure), 2026.

The African Continental Stage will become the second continental qualifier of the new World Schools Team Championship cycle held within the framework of the Year of Chess in Education 2026 initiative. The best teams will qualify directly for the WSTC 2026 Grand Final, where the continental champions will compete for the title of FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Champion 2026.

Team composition and eligibility

Each team shall consist of:

• four main players;
• one reserve player;
• one non-playing captain.

Each team must include at least one boy and at least one girl, except in specific cases provided for in the Regulations for single-gender educational institutions.

Players eligible to participate must be born between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2018.

National federations are responsible for confirming that all players are officially enrolled in the educational institution they represent during the 2025–2026 academic year.

The tournament will be played over eight rounds using the Swiss system.

Participation conditions and organizer support

Within the framework of the Championship, selected teams will receive organizer support, including:

• full-board accommodation;
• airport and local transfers;
• economy-class flight tickets for designated supported delegations.

Detailed participation conditions are outlined in the official Invitation Letter and General Regulations.

Educational and cultural programme

In addition to the tournament itself, participants and guests will take part in a special educational and cultural programme organized in line with the Year of Chess in Education 2026 initiative. The programme will include:

• masterclasses and lectures by leading chess players and educators;
• interactive workshops;
• side activities promoting educational exchange and intercultural dialogue.

The Championship aims not only to identify the strongest school team on the continent but also to promote chess as a powerful educational and social development tool.

Registration

The registration deadline is 18 June 2026.

National federations are kindly encouraged to complete the registration process at the earliest opportunity, as the number of places in the tournament is limited, and organizer support conditions outlined in the Regulations are available only for the first 20 teams fully registered in compliance with the official requirements.

Teams may register only through their respective FIDE member federations using the official online registration form.

Registration form:
https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/registration-stage-africa 

Contact e-mail: worldschoolteam@fide.com
Official website: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/

Invitation Letter: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/files/WSTC_2026_Invitation_Letter_African_Stage.pdf