Media & Broadcast 2 min read

DAZN Secures Streaming Rights for FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship

Written by MOS Editorial Team

Published on 17 February 2026

DAZN has been named the global broadcaster for the first-ever FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026. The partnership ensures the tournament, held from 13–15 February 2026, is available free-to-view worldwide, providing a mainstream platform for a format rapidly gaining traction among younger audiences.

The collaboration between DAZN, FIDE, and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH marks a turning point for “Freestyle Chess” (also known as Chess960 or Fischer Random).

By removing the ability for players to rely on memorised opening theory, the format rewards real-time creativity and raw calculation, a strategy that DAZN aims to highlight through its high-production global feed.

Commenting on the announcement, DAZN Group CEO, Shay Segev, said: “Freestyle Chess is growing fast and attracting a new generation of fans, and DAZN is the ideal partner to help drive that growth.”

“Adding the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship underlines our commitment to backing new tournaments and helping them reach global audiences,” Segev said.

Tournament Details & Commercial Impact

The event, staged at the Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort in Germany, features a USD300,000 (AUD424,020)prize pool. The commercial appeal is supported by an elite eight-player field, including world number one Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and rising stars like Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Event Stage	Date (2026)	Format
Rapid Round-Robin	13 February	10m + 5s increment
Knockout Semifinals	14 February	25m + 10s increment (Best-of-4)
World Championship Final	15 February	25m + 10s increment (Best-of-4)

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