FIDE World Cadets Cup Under-8
by International Chess Federation (FIDE)
Top three qualify for the World Championship
FIDE's world cup for players under 8, with separate Open and Girls events. The top three in each go on to the World Championship Under-8.
Mode
In-Person
Fee
Registration fee applies
Duration
About two weeks, including eleven rounds and a rest day
Format
Individual
Time needed
One classical game a day for about two weeks abroad
Eligibility
- Age range
- 6 to 8 years
- Location
- Nationwide
Prerequisites
- Under 8 on 1 January of the year of the Cup
- Valid FIDE ID
- Entry through AICF, the national federation
Players who have not turned 8 before 1 January of the year of the Cup, in the Open or the Girls event. Entry is only through the national federation. Indian players are selected by AICF from the previous year's National Under-7 championship, and national champions and medalists are entered as official players.
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Rewards and recognition
Prizes
Top three qualify for the World Championship
The top three in the Under-8 Open and the Under-8 Girls events each receive a cup and a medal. They also take three of the eight places in the World Championship Under-8, held later the same year, with free full board there.
Certificate
Certificate for every player
Every player receives a certificate, and the top three in each event also receive a diploma.
Recognition
World Cadets Cup Under-8 medalist
Skills your child builds
How to apply
- 1Check that the player is under 8 on 1 January of the year of the Cup
- 2Qualify through AICF's selection from the previous year's National Under-7 championship
- 3Submit AICF's entry form and pay its package when the entry notice is out
- 4Arrange passport, visa, flights and insurance for the host country
Fees & financial support
Fee details
Indian players pay AICF a rupee package covering the registration fee, the entry fee, the official hotel and bank charges, and AICF publishes the amount in each edition's entry notice. Flights, visa and insurance are extra, and an accompanying parent pays a separate package. Each federation's official player in an event has free board and lodging from the organizer.
About this opportunity
The FIDE World Cadets Cup Under-8 is the world cup for chess players under 8, held by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) once a year. It has two events, Under-8 Open and Under-8 Girls, and it is the qualifying stage for the World Championship Under-8.
Each national federation enters one official player in each event, and the organizer gives official players free board and lodging. The top three of the previous Cup, the previous world champion and the continental cadet champions of the year before also have a place of their own. Federations may add further players, who pay their own costs. Indian players enter only through the All India Chess Federation (AICF), which selects them from the previous year's National Under-7 championship.
Play follows the FIDE Laws of Chess over eleven classical rounds on the Swiss system. The top three in each event receive a cup and a medal. They also take three of the eight places in the World Championship Under-8, held later the same year, where the world title is decided, and they stay there with free full board.
Players who have not turned 8 before 1 January of the year of the Cup may enter. FIDE awards each edition to a host federation, so the country, venue and dates change every year.
Rounds & format
Eleven classical rounds on the Swiss system, one game a day with a rest day midway. Each player has 90 minutes, with 30 seconds added per move from the first move, and a player who arrives more than 30 minutes late loses the game. National rankings are not used for pairings, and medals are presented at the closing ceremony.
How entries are judged
A win scores one point and a draw half a point. Standings rank players on points, and ties are broken in the order FIDE's regulations set, which begins with direct encounter and Buchholz.
Selection process
Entry is through the national federation. AICF selects Indian players from the previous year's National Under-7 championship, taking those who finished in the top 50 of the final ranking, and enters national champions and medalists as official players. The top three of the previous Cup, the previous world champion and the continental cadet champions of the year before have a place of their own. Medals then go by points scored, with FIDE tie-breaks, and the top three go on to the World Championship Under-8.
Academic details
Difficulty: Expert
Frequently asked questions
Who can play in the Under-8 section in 2027?
Players born on or after 1 January 2019, in the Open or the Girls event. Entry is only through the national federation, so an Indian player first needs AICF's selection.
How does an Indian player get a place?
Only through AICF, the national federation. For 2026, AICF took players from the top 50 of the previous year's National Under-7 championship and entered national champions and medalists as official players.
What do the top three receive?
A cup and a medal, and three of the eight places in the World Championship Under-8, held later the same year, with free full board there.
What does an official player receive?
Each federation has one official player per event, who stays free with full board at the official hotel. Additional players pay their own hotel costs through the federation.
When will the 2027 dates be known?
FIDE names the host and dates, within its window of 15 June to 1 August 2027. AICF then posts the entry notice with its deadline on aicf.in.
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