The Qatar Masters Open Chess Championship won the award for the best open tournament in the world, as part of the FIDE Awards 2026 Excellence Awards ceremony, which was held in conjunction with the 46th Chess Olympiad and the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The FIDE Excellence Awards are awarded once every two years, in recognition of the achievements, initiatives and tournaments that have achieved distinguished levels during a two-year cycle and contribute to developing the sport of chess and enhancing its presence at the international level. Qatar Masters being crowned the best open tournament in the world confirms the status that the tournament has on the international chess agenda, and the distinguished level it has reached at the organizational and technical levels, in addition to its ability to attract an elite group of the most prominent chess players from various countries of the world.
Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Madahka, President of the Qatar Chess Federation, stressed that this coronation represents a source of pride and pride, and constitutes an incentive to continue developing and advancing the Qatar Masters Championship, in line with the growing position that the State of Qatar occupies on the global chess map.
