Chennai, July 14 -- The FIDE Council has approved a series of significant changes to the format of the 2027 FIDE World Cup and the 2027 FIDE Women's World Cup aimed at making the competitions more inclusive, expanded participation, improve the experience for players, reduce the overall duration of the events, and ensure that World Cups remain one of the flagship competitions in the World Championship cycle.
Since adopting the knockout format in 2005, the FIDE World Cups have become one of the most prestigious events on the international calendar. Over the past two decades, the tournaments have expanded considerably, growing from 128 to 206 players in the Open and from 64 to 103 players in the Women's event.
At the same time, the expansion...