FIDE World Cup Shakes Up 2026 Women’s Candidates Line-Up, Just 3 Spots Remain
The remaining three slots for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament will be determined through the Grand Swiss and the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Events series.
The recently concluded 2025 Women’s World Cup has made a significant impact on the race for the 2026 Women’s Candidates.
The battle for the eight available positions in the prestigious 2026 Women’s Candidates is getting more intense. Zhu Jiner and Alexandra Goryachkina have already sealed two places by finishing as the winner and runner-up in the Women’s Grand Prix respectively. Three more spots were secured at the Women’s World Cup held in Batumi, Georgia.
India’s rising star, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh, achieved an impressive treble in Batumi. She defeated former World No. 2 Humpy Koneru with a 1.5–0.5 win in the tiebreak to not only claim the title but also earn a Grandmaster norm – automatically awarded to the champion – and a seat in the 2026 Candidates, moving a step closer to her dream of a world championship title.
Humpy Koneru and former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi also earned qualification, securing the second and third positions respectively.
How Can Players Qualify for the 2026 Women’s Candidates?
With five of the eight spots now filled, only two routes remain for players to make it to the Candidates — the Grand Swiss tournament in September, which offers two qualification spots, and the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Events series, which will offer one more place.
The Grand Swiss is widely regarded as the toughest open tournament in the annual calendar, known for its elite participation and strict qualifying standards. Meanwhile, the FIDE Women’s Events series works on a points-based system, where players earn Ranking Points through multiple events.
What Are the Current Standings in the 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Series?
The Women’s World Cup in Batumi has caused major changes in the points table of the ongoing 2024–25 FIDE Women’s Events series. Humpy Koneru has taken the lead with 224 Ranking Points — a comfortable margin of over 70 points ahead of Tan Zhongyi, who sits in second.
Interestingly, all top five players in the standings have already booked their places in the Candidates. Defending World Champion Ju Wenjun, who was leading the points table earlier, has now slipped to sixth place after skipping the Women’s World Cup. However, as the reigning champion, Ju is not required to participate in the Candidates.
Among those still in contention for the final spot through the series is Anna Muzychuk, who is presently on 80 Ranking Points. Despite a strong showing and winning the last leg of the Women’s Grand Prix, she could not qualify through that route.
Following Muzychuk in the rankings are three seasoned players with scores ranging from 54.5 to 62 points. Lei Tingjie — the winner of the previous (2022–23) Candidates and unsuccessful challenger for the world title — is eighth with 62 points. She is closely followed by Indian GM Harika Dronavalli (58.5) and Kateryna Lagno (54.5), both still within striking distance.
The final three spots in the Candidates will be determined through three major competitions. Two places will be awarded to the top finishers at the Grand Swiss in September, and the last will go to the overall winner of the FIDE Women’s Events 2024–25 series, based on total Ranking Points collected in the Grand Swiss, World Rapid, and World Blitz tournaments.
