The Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot will run from November 10 to 20 in Budapest at the Anantara New York Palace Hotel. The tournament spans 9 days total, with a 5-day Group stage followed by a 4-day Knockout. The Group stage brings together 24 players divided into 4 groups of 6, where each player faces all others in their group twice under Fast Classic 45+30 time control.

The top scorer from each group earns passage to the Knockout phase. Semifinal matches occupy the first 2 days of that phase, while the third-place match and Final take the remaining days. Each Knockout match combines three formats: 4 games of Blitz 3+2, then 2 games of Rapid 15+10, and finally 1 game of Fast Classic 45+30. Armageddon decides the outcome if matches end tied.

The Budapest event serves as a pilot for the new Total Chess World Championship Tour, a joint creation of Norway Chess and FIDE. Points earned in this pilot count toward the 2026-2027 tour standings, with the top 2 finishers earning spots in the 2028 Candidates Tournament. The broader Tour aims to establish a unified World Combined Champion across all time controls, with main events beginning in March 2027.