FIDE President attends opening of WSTC European Continental Stage in Armenia

The European Continental Stage of the 2026 World Schools Team Chess Championship began in the Armenian resort town of Tsaghkadzor on September 29, with newly elected FIDE President and International School Chess Federation (ISCF) President Timur Turlov also attending the opening ceremony.

The championship is being held as part of FIDE’s “Chess in Education 2026” initiative.

The top-performing teams in the European stage will qualify for the WSTC Grand Final, where the strongest school teams from different continents will compete for the world championship title.

School teams, coaches, delegations and representatives of the chess community from European countries have arrived in Armenia to participate in the tournament. The tournament is jointly organized by FIDE (International Chess Federation), the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), the Chess Federation of Armenia and the European Chess Union (ECU), with the support of its main partner, Freedom Holding Corp.

The championship will run through October 3.