FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026: How to watch live on DAZN

The inaugural FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship is upon us, with eight of the game's best chess players bidding to be crowned World Champion.

DAZN is the global broadcaster for the tournament (excluding Norway) and will be free-to-view with English commentary, bringing the fast-growing discipline to a global audience.

So, just how can you catch every move? Here, DAZN News provides you with everything you need to know.

What is the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026?

Freestyle Chess, also known as Chess960 or FIDE Fischer Random Chess, is a chess variant where the pieces start in a semi-random position, which means players cannot memorise openings and must decide on their opening strategy in real-time.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH will stage the first official FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus, Germany.

It is the first time the title has been awarded under a joint framework between FIDE and a private organiser.

The Championship follows the conclusion of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, which crowned co-founder Magnus Carlsen as its first overall champion.

Who is competing in the Freestyle Chess World Championship?

Eight players are involved. They are co-founder Magnus Carlsen, plus Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, and Javokhir Sindarov.

Freestyle Chess nominated Hans Niemann to participate, while Nodirbek Abdusattorov won a qualification tournament to gain entry.

When does the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 take place?

The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship begins on Friday, February 13, with all eight players competing in the Rapid Round Robin stage of the competition.

Ending on Sunday, February 15, the event will conclude with a four-game final and placement matches to decide the first-ever World Champion.

• February 13: Rapid Round Robin
• February 14: Knockout Stage
• February 15: Final & Placement Matches

What is the Freestyle Chess World Championship format?

Friday's Rapid Round Robin: All eight players face each other once with a time control of 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment. The top four players advance to the semi-finals.

Saturday's Knockout Stage: The knockout stage begins with the semi-finals and placement matches, played with a time control of 25 minutes plus 10-second increment. The semi-finals will be played as four-game matches. 

Sunday's final & placement Matches: The final, played over four games, and the placement matches use the same 25 minutes plus 10-second increment. 

How to watch the FIDE Chess World Championship 2026 free on DAZN

With the DAZN App, you can watch the FIDE Chess World Championship anywhere and everywhere for FREE, including on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.

If you are already a DAZN subscriber, whether you have a paid or free account, the competition is part of your current membership.

To sign up for a free DAZN account, you only need an email address to register, with no hidden costs or fees. Just follow these instructions....

• Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device
• On a laptop or PC, visit www.DAZN.com/home
• Select 'Get started' or 'log in'
• Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options
• You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including FIFA+ and selected sports channels
• You can also upgrade to a full DAZN subscription, should you wish.