The FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025 are taking place in Doha, Qatar, from December 25 to December 30, bringing together the world’s elite chess talent for a thrilling end-of-year showdown. Held at the Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, this edition features both Open and Women’s events in Rapid and Blitz formats, with a total prize fund of over €1,000,000. Doha returns as host after nine years, underscoring Qatar’s growing stature in the chess world.
In the Open section, World Champion Gukesh D and Magnus Carlsen will join over 250 players who have confirmed their participation in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Doha. Magnus Carlsen, who this year became a father, will try to unseat the 2024 World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin, who has had strong tournament performances throughout the year.
World Champion Gukesh D has also confirmed his attendance. His participation is expected to generate considerable interest from the public. Many seasoned elite players, such as 2024 World Blitz co-champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Wesley So, and Levon Aronian, have also confirmed their participation. Challenging them will be a new generation of contenders seeking to disrupt established hierarchies: Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa R, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Ediz Gürel, to name just a few.
FIDE Women’s Rapid and Blitz will also see the best in the world taking part. Headlined by Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, the competition will see 130 players, including heavyweights Zhu Jiner, Lei Tingjie, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Humpy Koneru, and more. Anna Muzychuk – who won both the Women’s Rapid and Blitz in Doha in 2016 – will also be there, together with her sister, Mariya.
More FIDE events: FIDE World Cup 2025, final / World Chess Cup 2025
Archive: Nakamura: I do not like the new FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess 2024 format
