Timur Turlov welcomed young chess players from across Europe as the European Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 opened in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia. The event began on September 29 and brought together 27 school teams representing 25 countries.
The opening also carried added significance for Turlov. Just three days earlier, on September 26, he had been elected President of the International Chess Federation, making the championship one of his first major public appearances in his new role.
Timur Turlov Opens the European Stage
Timur Turlov officially declared the European stage open and made the ceremonial first move before competition began. He attended the event as President of FIDE as well as President of the International School Chess Federation, placing school chess firmly in focus at the beginning of his FIDE presidency.
His appearance reflected an area he has supported for several years: making chess more accessible to children through schools, tournaments and education programs.
The championship is organized by the International School Chess Federation together with FIDE and the Chess Federation of Armenia. Freedom is supporting the event as a sponsor.
A New Chapter for Timur Turlov
Turlov was elected the eighth President of FIDE at the organization’s General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 26, 2026.
He received 110 votes in the second round of the presidential election, compared with 85 for his opponent. At the age of 38, FIDE described him as the second-youngest president ever elected to lead the organization.
The timing made the Tsaghkadzor championship particularly notable. Rather than beginning his presidency at an elite professional event, one of Turlov’s first appearances centered on schoolchildren and chess education.
What Is the World Schools Team Championship?
The FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship is designed around school-based teams rather than individual players representing national federations.
At the European stage, each team consists of four players and one reserve. Boys and girls can compete together, creating a team environment that differs from many individual youth tournaments.
The European competition follows an eight-round Swiss format. Players receive 45 minutes for the game, with a 10-second increment added after every move.
The format gives students the experience of serious international competition while keeping their school identity at the center of the tournament.
Teams Arrive From Across Europe
A total of 27 teams from 25 nations entered the European Continental Stage.
Riga State Gymnasium No. 1 of Latvia entered as the highest-rated team, followed by Gymnasium No. 50 of Minsk and Tallinna Tõnismäe Reaalkool of Estonia. Host nation Armenia is represented by three schools.
For many students, the championship offers something beyond results. Traveling internationally, playing unfamiliar opponents and representing a school gives young players experience they may not receive through ordinary local tournaments.
That social side is also important to the championship’s wider purpose.
Why School Chess Matters to Turlov
Chess education has become an important part of Turlov’s work in the sport. He has repeatedly presented chess not only as a competitive game but as an educational activity that can encourage concentration, planning and responsible decision-making.
That view closely matches FIDE’s wider focus in 2026. The federation named 2026 its Year of Chess in Education, with educators, researchers and chess officials discussing ways to use chess more effectively in schools.
The goal is broader than producing professional players. School chess programs can introduce children to structured thinking and healthy competition even when they never pursue the game professionally.
Armenia’s Place in Chess Education
Hosting the European stage in Armenia carries particular meaning because chess already has a strong place within the country’s education system.
During the opening, attention was drawn to Armenia’s long experience with teaching chess in schools. The country introduced chess as a compulsory subject in primary education in 2011 and has since become an important case study for educators examining school-based chess.
For a championship focused on young students, Tsaghkadzor therefore provides a fitting setting.
It connects competitive chess with the larger conversation about how the game can be used inside classrooms.
More Than a Chess Tournament
The European stage was planned as more than a sequence of competitive rounds.
Participants also received opportunities to experience Armenian culture and interact away from the chessboard. After the opening rounds, players took part in an Armenian carpet-weaving workshop, giving them a look at one of the country’s traditional crafts.
Activities like these give international school tournaments a different character from professional events.
Students compete seriously during their games but also spend time meeting players from different countries, exchanging experiences and learning about the host culture.
Chess and Education on the Global Stage
FIDE has been placing greater attention on educational chess projects.
At the FIDE Summit on Chess in Education held in Samarkand in September 2026, policymakers, educators, researchers and chess officials discussed practical approaches for bringing chess into classrooms.
The summit focused on skills including concentration, critical thinking, creativity and decision-making. Turlov participated in that event as President of the International School Chess Federation shortly before being elected FIDE President.
His involvement in both events shows how school chess could remain an important part of FIDE’s development agenda during his presidency.
Building Opportunities for Young Players
International youth competition can play an important role in the development of promising players.
A student competing against opponents from several countries encounters different playing styles, opening choices and approaches to team preparation. Those experiences can help young players understand where they need to improve.
The team format also adds another lesson. A player is not competing only for an individual score. Each result contributes to the school’s overall performance.
That encourages responsibility, cooperation and support among teammates—qualities that matter well beyond chess.
A Global Championship Format
The 2026 championship uses continental stages before a Grand Final, expanding opportunities for schools from different parts of the world to take part.
Earlier stages were held across Asia, Africa and the Americas before the European competition began in Armenia. The European tournament is the final continental qualifying stage, with leading teams progressing toward the Grand Final scheduled for December.
This structure gives more schools an opportunity to participate without requiring every team to travel immediately to one global venue.
It also gives the championship a genuinely international path throughout the year.
International Cooperation Through Chess
School chess has an unusual ability to connect students who may not share the same language or cultural background.
The rules of the game remain the same whether a student comes from Latvia, Armenia, Estonia or another participating country. That creates an immediate shared activity between players who might otherwise have little opportunity to meet.
The competition therefore serves two purposes at once: determining the strongest school teams and building connections between young people from different countries.
That international element remains one of the strongest features of the championship.
What Comes Next
Teams competing in Tsaghkadzor are fighting for qualification places in the next stage of the 2026 championship.
For Turlov, however, the event also represents an early indication of what his FIDE presidency may emphasize. His first days in office have placed education and youth chess prominently alongside the federation’s traditional competitive responsibilities.
The success of those plans will depend on cooperation between FIDE, national federations, schools, teachers and local education authorities.
What is already clear is that school chess has become a visible part of the international chess calendar.
Final Thoughts
Timur Turlov’s appearance at the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship came at an important moment both for him and for the competition.
Only days after becoming FIDE President, he welcomed young players to a tournament built around schools, teamwork and international participation.
With 27 teams from 25 nations competing in the European stage, the event shows how far organized school chess has expanded. More importantly, it highlights an idea likely to remain central during Turlov’s presidency: chess does not have to begin with dreams of becoming a grandmaster.
For many children, it can simply begin in a classroom with a board, a teacher and the opportunity to learn.
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