In chess, lasting success is rarely the result of a single brilliant move. Freedom Holding’s partnership with the International Chess Federation has grown in much the same way – step by step, over several years. What began with support for major tournaments has expanded to include educational programs and initiatives for young players. Now, that partnership has reached the highest level of the game, with Freedom Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FRHC) becoming the General Partner of the 2026 FIDE World Championship Match.
The championship will take place from November 22 to December 12. Reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju of India will face challenger Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan for the world chess crown. Both players will be 20 years old at the start of the match, making it the first World Championship Match between two 20-year-olds in World Championship history, which dates back to 1886.
The official opening ceremony will be held on November 22 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, while the games will take place at the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, one of the Geneva area’s best-known cultural institutions and home to a unique collection of manuscripts, rare books, and historical documents.
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For Freedom Holding Corp., becoming the General Partner, the event’s key level of sponsorship, builds on a partnership with FIDE that began in 2023. Since then, the group has supported major international competitions, including the 2023 World Championship Match in Astana and the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, as well as projects aimed at promoting chess in schools, training players and coaches, and identifying new talent.
Now, the agreement between Freedom and FIDE covers international and regional tournaments, training centers, educational programs, support for chess players and coaches, and talent-development initiatives across multiple continents.
The World Championship therefore represents the most visible part of a much broader strategy, from introducing children to chess in schools to supporting the game at its highest level.
Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., sees a parallel between this approach and the mindset chess requires: thinking several moves ahead and making decisions under uncertainty.
“The World Championship determines who is number one. There is no higher title in chess,” Turlov said. “Freedom has been working with FIDE for three years, and for us, this is a natural next step, not just about putting our logo on the stage. Chess and finance require a similar kind of discipline: you have to consider different scenarios, make decisions under uncertainty, know when to reject the obvious move, and plan for the long term.”
In addition to leading Freedom Holding Corp., Turlov serves as president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and president of the International School Chess Federation. His work spans professional chess, education, and efforts to attract private investment in chess infrastructure.
The relationship took on a new dimension in 2026, when Timur Turlov entered the race for president of the International Chess Federation. FIDE included the Timur Turlov -Viswanathan Anand presidential ticket on its official list of candidates, with Turlov seeking the presidency and five-time world champion Anand running for deputy president. The other tickets in the election are Jan Henric Buettner -Malcolm Pein and Wadim Rosenstein- Gordon Tang.
The FIDE presidential election is scheduled for September 26, 2026, during the General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Each national federation represented at the assembly and eligible to vote has one vote.
Meanwhile, Freedom’s partnership with FIDE continues independently of the presidential election. The company sees chess as a long-term project, with strong federations, youth programs, qualified coaches, technology, and international competition all playing a role.
This approach is especially fitting ahead of the 2026 World Championship. The match between Gukesh and Sindarov will bring together two of the leading players of a new generation, both of whom have reached the very top of the game before turning 21. Gukesh will make his first defense of the title he won in Singapore in 2024, while Sindarov earned the right to challenge for the crown after winning the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.
“Freedom has committed to chess seriously, over years and at every level of the game,” said five-time World Champion and FIDE Interim President Viswanathan Anand. “To have them behind a World Championship contested by two twenty-year-olds is fitting. This company understands chess is a long game, and this Match is its future.”
Salesforce remains the title sponsor and technology partner of FIDE’s World Championship matches under a multi-year agreement. As the General Partner, Freedom will support and promote the 2026 World Championship.
For Freedom Holding, the tournament is both the culmination of several years of involvement in international chess and another step in a longer-term strategy. Freedom had already established a presence at tournaments, in school programs, and through development initiatives. Now, its logo will appear beside the board where the world championship will be decided.
