FIDE Women's World Cup

Also known as: Women's Chess World Cup

An official women's knockout competition whose leading finishers can qualify for the Women's Candidates.

Explanation

FIDE stands for the International Chess Federation. The Women's World Cup is a knockout competition. Players meet in short matches of two or more games as defined by the regulations. The match winner advances to the next round, while the loser leaves the main contest for the event title.

When the classical games, which provide substantial thinking time, are tied, faster tiebreak games are played until a winner is determined. A time control states how much time each player has to complete her moves. The size of the field, first-round byes, and exact tiebreak sequence can change between editions.

The World Cup belongs to the women's world championship cycle, and its leading finishers can earn Women's Candidates places. It is not the Women's World Championship match: winning the Cup does not automatically make a player world champion. Its structure also contrasts with the , where one loss does not eliminate a player, and the , which combines several tournaments.

Common confusions

Women's World Championship

The World Cup is a prestigious qualifying event, not the match that decides the world champion.

Swiss system

A match loss eliminates a player here; everyone continues in the Grand Swiss.

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