| 2025 | |
| Volodar Murzin, reigning World Rapid Champion | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | December 25, 2025–December 31, 2025 |
| Format | Rapid chess games (explained in page) |
| Host | Qatar |
| Venue | Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar |
| Current champion | |
| Volodar Murzin | |
FIDE World Rapid Championship is a chess tournament to be held in Doha, Qatar. The tournament will be held along with FIDE World Women's Rapid Championship 2025, FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025 and FIDE World Women's Blitz Championship 2025. Volodar Murzin is the reigning World Rapid Champion.
| Date | Event | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AST (Local) | UTC | ||
| December 25 | Arrivals | Whole day | |
| Media Day | |||
| Technical Meeting | TBD | ||
| December 26 | Opening Ceremony | 1:00 pm | 10:00 am |
| Round 1 | 2:00 pm | 11:00 am | |
| Round 2 | 3:20 pm | 12:20 pm | |
| Round 3 | 4:40 pm | 1:40 pm | |
| Round 4 | 6:00 pm | 3:00 pm | |
| Round 5 | 7:20 pm | 4:20 pm | |
| December 27 | Round 6 | 2:00 pm | 11:00 am |
| Round 7 | 3:20 pm | 12:20 pm | |
| Round 8 | 4:40 pm | 1:40 pm | |
| Round 9 | 6:00 pm | 3:00 pm | |
| December 28 | Round 10 | 2:00 pm | 11:00 am |
| Round 11 | 3:20 pm | 12:20 pm | |
| Round 12 | 4:40 pm | 1:40 pm | |
| Round 13 | 6:00 pm | 3:00 pm | |
| Play-offs (if needed) | 7:30 pm | 4:30 pm | |
| December 29 | No event | ||
| December 30 | Closing Ceremony | 9:00 pm | 6:00 pm |
| December 31 | Departure | Whole day | |
| World Rank | Player | Country | FIDE Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Rapid | Standard | Rapid | ||
| 5 | 27 | Anish Giri | 2769 | 2685 | |
| 6 | 16 | Arjun Erigaisi | 2708 | ||
| 7 | 28 | R. Praggnanandhaa | 2768 | 2769 | |
| 8 | 18 | Wesley So | 2764 | 2702 | |
| 9 | 22 | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2763 | 2692 | |
| 12 | 12 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2750 | 2717 | |
| 14 | 19 | Shakriyar Mamedyarov | 2742 | 2701 | |
| 16 | 8 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2740 | 2741 | |
| 19 | 3 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | [From | 2732 | 2762 |
| 23 | 5 | Levon Aronian | 2728 | 2756 | |
| 64 | 47 | Volodar Murzin | [From | 2655 | 2642 |
| 160 | 65 | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2616 | 2630 | |
There will be 13 rounds according to the Swiss system. Time controls will be as follows -
Players are given points according to their performance in the tournament. Points are awarded as follows -
At the end, the players are ranked according to the total points they scored in the tournament in descending order.
When 2 or more players are tied for the same rank but not rank 1, the tie should be broken without any tie-breaker by Buchholz System. If there is still a tie, their average FIDE rating for Rapid games shall be taken into account, the player with higher rating shall receive a higher rank. If there is still a tie, the players shall, via a direct encounter in tie-breaker, end the tie. If even that game ends in a draw, drawing of lots shall remain the final solution to break the tie. [1]
When 2 are tied for the first place, no method mentioned above shall be used. In such a case, a Blitz chess match shall be played with time control 3 minutes default clock time + Increment of 2 seconds per move to determine the winner. If it ends in a draw, one sudden death game shall determine the winner.
When more than 2 are tied for the first place, no method mentioned above shall be used. In such a case, a single elimination knockout tournament shall be played between all the players tied for the first position, which means each player has to play any other and the person who loses the game will be eliminated. For example, if 4 players are tied, there are 2 games played between 2 players, the losers of each game shall be eliminated and the winners of each game shall play another knockout. The process shall continue until all but 1 player is left, and the player is awarded rank 1. All other players are awarded rank as per the criteria mentioned above for 2 or more players tied for the same rank but not rank 1.
Finally, the person who scored rank 1 is given the title World Rapid Chess Champion.
To be declared on December 30, 2025