Photo: Michal Walusza
The world’s top national women’s chess teams are set to clash in a monumental battle for the prestigious title of World Team Champion. Here is your essential guide to the 2025 FIDE World Women’s Team Championship, including the location, dates, format, and the star players to watch.
📍 Where is the Championship Being Held?
The 2025 FIDE World Women’s Team Championship will take place in the legendary “Cathedral of Chess,” Linares, Spain.
Host City: Linares, Spain
Dates: November 17 to 24, 2025
Key Event Date: Round 5 of the Pool Stage is scheduled for November 20, 2025.
Linares holds a deep historical connection with elite chess, having hosted some of the most celebrated super-tournaments in the game’s history. Its selection as the venue underscores the significance of this event in the global women’s chess calendar.
Carissa Yip (Photo IM Rosen)
💡 What to Know: Format, Teams, and Star Players
🏆 Tournament Structure and Time Control
The championship is a high-stakes, rapid-paced event featuring 12 of the strongest national teams.
Teams: 12 national teams
Format:
Pool Stage: The 12 teams are split into two pools of six. They play a round-robin format within their pool.
Knockout Stage: The top two teams from each pool advance to the knockout stage (Semi-finals and Final).
Match Format: Each match between two teams is played over four boards.
Time Control (A New Pilot): The tournament will feature a “Fast Classic” time control of 45 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move from move one. This time control is being used as a FIDE pilot project but will still count for standard (classical) chess ratings.
🌍 The Competing Teams
The field is stacked with powerhouse nations, including the semi-finalists from the 2023 championship and the top-rated teams from around the world.
Semi-finalists (2023): Georgia, France, Kazakhstan, and the USA.
Top Continental Teams: China (Asia), Ukraine (Europe), Peru (Americas), and Algeria (Africa).
Other Qualifiers: India, Spain (Host Nation), and a FIDE Team/President’s Nominee.
🌟 Players to Watch
The championship will showcase some of the world’s most brilliant female chess minds.
Hou Yifan (China): Widely regarded as one of the greatest female players in history, her return to team competition on the top board for China is arguably the biggest highlight of the event.
Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Spain): “Sara Khadem,” a top-tier International Master and Woman Grandmaster, will lead the host nation’s team.
Carissa Yip (USA): A four-time U.S. Women’s Champion, Yip brings an aggressive and creative style to the strong American contingent.
This event is not just a competition of skill, but a powerful showcase of team spirit and national pride in women’s chess.
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