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The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 officially opened on March 28 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort on the west coast of Cyprus. Sixteen grandmasters, eight men and eight women, were introduced on stage during an open-air ceremony. The total prize fund stands at one million euros, and this is the culminating step on the road to the match for the world champion title. Nothing of this scale has ever been held in the history of chess in Cyprus, and the first of 14 rounds has already been played. 🇨🇾 Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., shared his perspective on what the tournament brings to the island: "What will the Candidates Tournament offer the people of Cyprus? It's a chance to see a potential world champion. This is an opportunity to connect with chess legends who have never gathered in Cyprus in such numbers before. Fortunately, Cyprus is very calm and safe, hosting some very exciting and successful tournaments." Cyprus Tourism Minister Costas Koumis conveyed congratulations from President Nikos Christodoulides, calling the hosting of two prestigious events a great honor for the country and emphasizing Cyprus's growing reputation as a destination for high-level sporting competitions. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich expressed gratitude to the government of the Republic of Cyprus, local authorities, and the tournament partners, including Freedom Holding Corp., the Scheinberg family, and Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort, for making the competition possible and providing optimal conditions for the players. As a partner of the tournament, Freedom24 reinforces its commitment to strategic thinking, global community building, and sporting excellence at the highest level. The first round delivered sharp contrasts between the two fields. All four women's games ended in draws, with Aleksandra Goryachkina coming closest to a win against Kateryna Lagno. In the men's tournament, only one of four games was drawn. Fabiano Caruana defeated rating favorite Hikaru Nakamura, while 20-year-olds Javokhir Sindarov and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu picked up wins over Andrey Esipenko and Anish Giri respectively. With 13 rounds still ahead, the race for the World Championship challenge is wide open. 🏆