African Continent Enters Global School Chess Arena with Inaugural WSTC Qualifier

Timur Turlov, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Holding Corp.

From July 6 to 11, Stellenbosch University, just outside Cape Town, will host the African Continental Stage of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship (WSTC). The event will gather school teams from across the continent. Organized jointly by FIDE and ISCF, with Freedom Holding Corp. as the general partner, the tournament will decide which African squad earns a spot in the global WSTC final set for December.

How the Championship Will Unfold

Twenty national school teams have registered for the African stage, representing South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Tanzania, Madagascar, São Tomé and Príncipe, Zambia, Uganda, and Burundi. Participants, ranging in age from eight to fourteen, will compete in a team format. In addition to the competition, organizers have arranged an educational program featuring lectures, masterclasses, and workshops tailored for young players, coaches, and teachers.

The event is part of an expanding international championship that launched in 2023 with its inaugural edition in Aktau, Kazakhstan. Originally conceived as a school‑team competition, it has evolved into a global championship featuring continental qualifiers and a world final. This year’s series kicked off in April with the Asian stage in Kazakhstan, where Uzbekistan’s Wisdom School earned a berth in the final. After the African leg in Cape Town, further continental stages will take place in Europe and the Americas, culminating in December when the victorious teams clash for the world title.

The championship is organised under the auspices of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in partnership with the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), which focuses specifically on developing chess in schools and integrating the game into educational systems. In September 2024, the FIDE General Assembly supported granting affiliated‑organisation status to ISCF. Today, the federation coordinates international school chess initiatives, supports continental competitions, and works with national chess organizations and education systems to expand access to chess for young students.

Beyond organising competitions, the partnership between FIDE and the ISCF places considerable emphasis on education. The continental championships are designed not only to identify the strongest school teams but also to create opportunities for students and teachers to exchange experiences, participate in workshops, and engage with leading figures from the international chess community. This educational component accompanies each continental stage.

Why Timur Turlov Supports Chess Around the World

Freedom Holding Corp., a fintech leader active in 22 countries, has backed the championship since its launch and serves as a principal partner. Its founder and CEO, Timur Turlov, also holds the presidencies of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF). An avid chess player, Turlov has promoted and developed the game for over three years in Kazakhstan—where Freedom is headquartered—and abroad. He believes chess sharpens cognitive skills and contributes meaningfully to the intellectual development of children and youths.

“Chess is a unique game. It shapes the way we think, teaches discipline and decision-making, and helps us understand the consequences of our actions. I say this not only as President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the International School Chess Federation, but also as a father whose children play chess. Game after game, they learn patience, they learn how to win, and, just as importantly, how to lose with dignity,” said Timur Turlov.

Turlov ranks among Kazakhstan’s wealthiest individuals, with an estimated net worth of roughly $5.5 billion. Freedom Holding Corp., the fintech firm he leads, operates in 22 countries and has traded on NASDAQ under the ticker FRHC since 2019. Today its market capitalization stands at about $7.5 billion. The conglomerate spans banking, investment, telecommunications, lifestyle, and media, constituting Freedom’s digital ecosystem, which Turlov is expanding across the United States, Europe, and Central Asia.

In 2025, Freedom Holding Corp. teamed up with FIDE and ISCF to host the World Schools Team Chess Championship in the United States. The event attracted over fifty school teams from various nations and launched the Smart Moves Summit—an educational forum held concurrently with the tournament. The summit convened FIDE officials, national chess federation representatives, educators, researchers, and ed‑tech entrepreneurs to examine chess’s role in education, cognitive development, and classroom learning.

Freedom Holding Corp. has further deepened its engagement with the chess world through technology. In April 2026, the company acquired ChessBase, a leading global provider of chess software, databases, and analytical tools. Freedom plans to invest €5 million in the platform and grant its users access to its digital ecosystem, which reaches more than 14 million people.

Turlov has been instrumental in advancing chess in Kazakhstan. Since assuming the presidency of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation in 2023, he has presided over a period in which Kazakhstani players have captured 448 medals at official international tournaments. During that time, the federation has broadened initiatives to boost youth participation and fortify the nation’s competitive chess framework.

A key priority for the federation has been integrating chess into the education system. Backed by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, the program has grown steadily; today over 1,500 schools nationwide incorporate chess into their curricula. The initiative aims to make chess accessible to young learners early on while weaving it into broader educational offerings.

Freedom Holding reports that it devotes more than $15 million each year to chess development, funding tournaments, educational programs, youth initiatives, infrastructure, and international projects. These investments balance support for elite competition with efforts to broaden school‑chess participation in Kazakhstan and worldwide.

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