Registration is open for two major Chess for Freedom events: the 6th Intercontinental Chess Championship for Prisoners, scheduled for October 15–17, 2026, and the Chess for Freedom Conference, set for March 17–19, 2027, in Chicago. Both aim to support rehabilitation, education, and global cooperation through chess.
Details of the Intercontinental Chess Championship
The Intercontinental Championship will bring together teams from correctional facilities worldwide for one of the largest international sporting events staged inside prisons. Since launching in 2021, the series has involved thousands of incarcerated players from dozens of countries. The 2025 edition set a participation record with 135 teams from 57 nations.
Countries may enter up to three teams: one men’s team, one women’s team, and one youth team for players under 20. Nations that run national prison chess tournaments may receive additional slots. Teams can draw players from multiple facilities if necessary. Each team fields four players with unlimited substitutes, and all participants must be incarcerated. Identities are kept confidential unless local law allows disclosure for media use.
Matches will be played online on the Chess.com platform with a time control of 10 minutes plus a 5‑second increment per move. On October 15, teams will compete in round‑robin groups of up to eight, organized by time zone. Teams from the same country will not be placed in the same group. The top two from each group advance to the Championship Round on October 16. On October 17, category winners in men’s, women’s, and youth will be decided, and additional matches will determine third place. Correctional institutions can submit entries through the organizers, and deadlines and technical details will be sent to registered participants.
Registration is also open for the Chess for Freedom Conference in Chicago. The event will gather representatives of prison administrations, policymakers, academics, chess federations, researchers, and practitioners to share experience and discuss best practices for chess‑based education and rehabilitation. The program will feature presentations, panel discussions, and workshops on the social impact of chess, rehabilitation initiatives, and international cooperation. Invitation letters for visa applications will be provided to participants who need them after registration is received.
Chess for Freedom is a joint program of FIDE and the Cook County Department of Corrections in Chicago. It promotes chess in correctional settings through international competitions, conferences, and educational activities, encouraging collaboration among prison systems and supporting personal development and successful reintegration into society.