Freedom Holding Corp. Backs FIDE World Chess Championship 2026

Freedom Holding Corp., a diversified financial and technology group based in Kazakhstan, has become the General Partner of the upcoming FIDE World Championship Match 2026. The match, set to run from November 22 to December 12, will see the current World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju of India, defend his title against Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan. Both players will be 20 years old at the start of the match, marking the youngest title contest since the series began in 1886.

Freedom Holding Corp. has been a strategic partner of the FIDE since 2023, supporting various FIDE events and initiatives. The company has been a regular sponsor of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships and was the title sponsor of the 2024 FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship in New York. Under a 2026 cooperation agreement, Freedom will fund FIDE tournaments, training centers, school programs, and talent scouting across all continents. The World Championship Match extends this partnership to the sport's defining event.

Timur Turlov, the founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., is also the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the head of the International School Chess Federation, the regulatory body for chess in education. Turlov sees chess as a long-term investment, stating, "Freedom has worked with FIDE for three years, and this is the natural next step. Chess and finance are the same discipline: you calculate, you decide under uncertainty, you refuse the obvious move, and you plan far ahead. We invest in chess on that horizon."

Viswanathan Anand, a five-time World Champion and the FIDE Interim President, added, "Freedom has committed to chess seriously, over years and at every level of the game. To have them behind a World Championship contested by two twenty-year-olds is fitting. This company understands chess is a long game, and this Match is its future."

Freedom Holding Corp. operates a range of services, including brokerage, banking, insurance, telecom, and lifestyle services in more than twenty countries. The company's commitment to chess reflects its broader strategy of investing in cultural and educational initiatives.

The Opening Ceremony of the FIDE World Championship Match 2026 will take place on November 22 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The match will consist of 14 classical games, with the winner determined by the player with the most points after the 14 games. The event is expected to attract significant attention, given the young age of the participants and the high stakes involved.