Koneru Humpy vs Divya Deshmukh (Photo: @FIDE_chess on X) The pairings for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and Women’s Candidates Tournament have been announced, setting the stage for who will challenge for the world chess titles. Both events will be held in Cyprus from 28 March to 16 April 2026 and will follow a double round-robin format, meaning every player faces each other twice.In the open Candidates tournament, the first round already features big matchups. Fabiano Caruana will play Hikaru Nakamura in a major clash between two top American players. Exclusive: Hungary No. 1 Richárd Rapport on Hungarian Chess, GCL, Candidates 2026, and more #chessPraggnanandhaa will face Anish Giri in a battle between two highly technical players, while young talents Javokhir Sindarov and Andrey Esipenko meet in a generational duel. Matthias Bluebaum and Wei Yi will also play, both making their first appearance in the Candidates.The women’s Candidates tournament also has exciting games. Due to rules about players from the same country, the three Indian players will face each other early. The opening round includes Zhu Jiner vs former world champion Tan Zhongyi, Aleksandra Goryachkina vs Kateryna Lagno, Vaishali vs Bibisara Assaubayeva, and a big Indian matchup between Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh.The tournaments will last 14 rounds, with players switching colors in the second half to keep things fair. By the end, the winners of each event will earn the right to challenge the reigning World Champions.FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 – All Matches (Round 1–14)Round 1Javokhir Sindarov vs Andrey EsipenkoMatthias Bluebaum vs Wei YiPraggnanandhaa R vs Anish GiriFabiano Caruana vs Hikaru NakamuraRound 2Andrey Esipenko vs Hikaru NakamuraAnish Giri vs Fabiano CaruanaWei Yi vs Praggnanandhaa RJavokhir Sindarov vs Matthias BluebaumRound 3Matthias Bluebaum vs Andrey EsipenkoPraggnanandhaa R vs Javokhir SindarovFabiano Caruana vs Wei YiHikaru Nakamura vs Anish GiriRound 4Andrey Esipenko vs Anish GiriWei Yi vs Hikaru NakamuraJavokhir Sindarov vs Fabiano CaruanaMatthias Bluebaum vs Praggnanandhaa RRound 5Praggnanandhaa R vs Andrey EsipenkoFabiano Caruana vs Matthias BluebaumHikaru Nakamura vs Javokhir SindarovAnish Giri vs Wei YiRound 6Fabiano Caruana vs Andrey EsipenkoHikaru Nakamura vs Praggnanandhaa RAnish Giri vs Matthias BluebaumWei Yi vs Javokhir SindarovRound 7Andrey Esipenko vs Wei YiJavokhir Sindarov vs Anish GiriMatthias Bluebaum vs Hikaru NakamuraPraggnanandhaa R vs Fabiano CaruanaRound 8Andrey Esipenko vs Javokhir SindarovWei Yi vs Matthias BluebaumAnish Giri vs Praggnanandhaa RHikaru Nakamura vs Fabiano CaruanaRound 9Hikaru Nakamura vs Andrey EsipenkoFabiano Caruana vs Anish GiriPraggnanandhaa R vs Wei YiMatthias Bluebaum vs Javokhir SindarovRound 10Andrey Esipenko vs Matthias BluebaumJavokhir Sindarov vs Praggnanandhaa RWei Yi vs Fabiano CaruanaAnish Giri vs Hikaru NakamuraRound 11Anish Giri vs Andrey EsipenkoHikaru Nakamura vs Wei YiFabiano Caruana vs Javokhir SindarovPraggnanandhaa R vs Matthias BluebaumRound 12Andrey Esipenko vs Praggnanandhaa RMatthias Bluebaum vs Fabiano CaruanaJavokhir Sindarov vs Hikaru NakamuraWei Yi vs Anish GiriRound 13Wei Yi vs Andrey EsipenkoAnish Giri vs Javokhir SindarovHikaru Nakamura vs Matthias BluebaumFabiano Caruana vs Praggnanandhaa RRound 14Andrey Esipenko vs Fabiano CaruanaPraggnanandhaa R vs Hikaru NakamuraMatthias Bluebaum vs Anish GiriJavokhir Sindarov vs Wei YiFIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 – All Matches (Round 1–14)Round 1Divya Deshmukh vs Humpy KoneruVaishali R vs Bibisara AssaubayevaAleksandra Goryachkina vs Kateryna LagnoZhu Jiner vs Tan ZhongyiRound 2Humpy Koneru vs Tan ZhongyiKateryna Lagno vs Zhu JinerBibisara Assaubayeva vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaDivya Deshmukh vs Vaishali RRound 3Vaishali R vs Humpy KoneruAleksandra Goryachkina vs Divya DeshmukhZhu Jiner vs Bibisara AssaubayevaTan Zhongyi vs Kateryna LagnoRound 4Humpy Koneru vs Kateryna LagnoBibisara Assaubayeva vs Tan ZhongyiDivya Deshmukh vs Zhu JinerVaishali R vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaRound 5Aleksandra Goryachkina vs Humpy KoneruZhu Jiner vs Vaishali RTan Zhongyi vs Divya DeshmukhKateryna Lagno vs Bibisara AssaubayevaRound 6Zhu Jiner vs Humpy KoneruTan Zhongyi vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaKateryna Lagno vs Vaishali RBibisara Assaubayeva vs Divya DeshmukhRound 7Humpy Koneru vs Bibisara AssaubayevaDivya Deshmukh vs Kateryna LagnoVaishali R vs Tan ZhongyiAleksandra Goryachkina vs Zhu JinerRound 8Humpy Koneru vs Divya DeshmukhBibisara Assaubayeva vs Vaishali RKateryna Lagno vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaTan Zhongyi vs Zhu JinerRound 9Tan Zhongyi vs Humpy KoneruZhu Jiner vs Kateryna LagnoAleksandra Goryachkina vs Bibisara AssaubayevaVaishali R vs Divya DeshmukhRound 10Humpy Koneru vs Vaishali RDivya Deshmukh vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaBibisara Assaubayeva vs Zhu JinerKateryna Lagno vs Tan ZhongyiRound 11Kateryna Lagno vs Humpy KoneruTan Zhongyi vs Bibisara AssaubayevaZhu Jiner vs Divya DeshmukhAleksandra Goryachkina vs Vaishali RRound 12Humpy Koneru vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaVaishali R vs Zhu JinerDivya Deshmukh vs Tan ZhongyiBibisara Assaubayeva vs Kateryna LagnoRound 13Bibisara Assaubayeva vs Humpy KoneruKateryna Lagno vs Divya DeshmukhTan Zhongyi vs Vaishali RZhu Jiner vs Aleksandra GoryachkinaRound 14Humpy Koneru vs Zhu JinerAleksandra Goryachkina vs Tan ZhongyiVaishali R vs Kateryna LagnoDivya Deshmukh vs Bibisara Assaubayeva