• This victory marks Magnus Carlsen’s 21st world title across various formats (Classical, Rapid, Blitz, and Freestyle/Chess960), further consolidating his position as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

About FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026:
Overview: Freestyle Chess, also known as Chess960 or Fischer Random, randomizes the starting positions of the back-rank pieces to reduce opening memorization and emphasize creativity, adaptability, and over-the-board calculation.
Recognition: The format was invented in 1996 by former World Champion Bobby Fischer and is officially recognized by FIDE.
Organiser: International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH
Prize Fund: The total prize fund was USD 300,000, with Magnus Carlsen receiving USD 100,000 for first place, Fabiano Caruana receiving USD 60,000 for second place, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov receiving USD 40,000 for third place.
Third Place: Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) secured third place by defeating Vincent Keymer (Germany) 2.5–1.5.
Fourth Place: Vincent Keymer (Germany) finished fourth after losing to Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) 1.5–2.5 and earned USD 30,000.
Fifth Place: Hans Niemann (USA) claimed fifth place by defeating Arjun Erigaisi