FIDE President Timur Turlov visits Armenia to praise school chess model

FIDE President Timur Turlov has conducted his first official visit to Armenia, where he praised the nation’s school chess program as the best model in the world. Turlov noted that Armenia’s decision to make chess a mandatory part of the public school curriculum since 2011 has created a premier global chess culture.

During the visit, Turlov opened the European Continental Stage of the 2026 World Schools Team Championship in Tsaghkadzor. The tournament features 27 school teams from 25 different countries competing for spots in the Grand Final scheduled for December.

Turlov also visited the Chess Academy of Armenia and announced the creation of a new FIDE development fund. This fund is intended to support talented young players by providing opportunities for international travel, training, and competition with leading specialists.