FIDE announced on Thursday that Istanbul will serve as the host city for the 2026 World Rapid & Blitz Championships. The event will take place from December 26-30, offering players the chance to compete for multiple world titles in the faster time controls. Key details including the venue, tournament regulations, and registration information have not yet been released to the public.

The defending champions returning to compete include Magnus Carlsen, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Bibisara Assaubayeva. Carlsen comes off a dominant showing at last year's championships, securing his sixth World Rapid title and his ninth World Blitz title. Goryachkina earned her first Women's World Rapid title, while Assaubayeva claimed her third Women's World Blitz championship.

The move to Istanbul marks a return to Türkiye for major international chess competition. The country previously hosted the Chess Olympiad in 2012 and regularly stages significant youth tournaments. This selection provides emerging Turkish talents an opportunity to face the world's elite players in their home country.

Freedom Holding continues its role as the primary financial backer for the championships, a position the financial services group has held as FIDE's main sponsor since 2023. FIDE President Timur Turlov, who heads Freedom Holding, praised Istanbul's selection in the announcement. He highlighted Türkiye's track record of organizing high-quality chess events and its contributions to the sport's global development.

The format for the competitions has not been confirmed for 2026. However, the previous year's rapid championships were conducted as Swiss tournaments, with the blitz competitions featuring four-player knockout stages following an initial Swiss round.