In a move to support women in sport, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is set to expand the “ChessMom” project, an initiative aimed at helping elite player mothers balance their careers with young families.
The programme, which provides financial and logistical support to mothers traveling with their infants to participate in top tournaments, will now cover children up to two years old, double the previous maximum age of one year. This expanded initiative will be a key feature of the 2026 Olympics in Uzbekistan and future World Cup events.
The program was first piloted at the 2024 Olympics in Budapest, supporting six mothers from around the world, including athletes from Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Namibia and Eswatini.
According to the FIDE, the primary goal is to remove the difficult choice that has faced many women in the game.
“We are committed to ensuring that no woman is forced to choose between motherhood and a career as a chess player. ChessMom continues to grow, raise awareness, and send the message that mothers who play chess are not alone.” said Francisco Javier Cruz Arce, member of the Women’s Committee of the FIDE and initiator of the project.
“We cannot remove all barriers for women, but with programs like ChessMom, we want to help professional chess players balance their careers and personal lives,” said FIDE Vice President Dana Resnis.
For these participants, the impact was profound. Namibian player Raoha Chipendo, one of the first beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude.
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“I am very grateful to those who started ChessMom,” said Chibindo. “If I had a newborn like this, I might think and say, ‘Am I going to stay to take care of my little one, or am I going to go to the Chess Olympiad?’ So it brings that gap together and bridges it.”
The initiative addresses a notable gap in a sport where female representation at the highest levels remains a challenge. For example, there is one woman registered among the participants in the FIDE World Cup currently underway in India.
How the program works
Under the new framework, up to 10 eligible players will receive support. Key benefits include:
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Financial aid: Compensation of up to €1,000 to cover the caregiver’s travel costs.
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Official status: The child and caregiver will be considered part of the official national team delegation, ensuring access to housing, meals and event venues.
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stay: National teams will be provided with room upgrades to comfortably accommodate the player, child and caregiver.
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(Tags for translation)Chess
