After consultation with the players and organizers, FIDE is pleased to announce the resumption of the Candidates tournament. The 8th round has been scheduled for November 1, 2020.

According to the contract Yekaterinburg, the city that organized the first round of the Candidates Tournament at the highest level in March 2020, is still considered as the hosting city. However, considering the epidemiological situation, FIDE has designated a reserve venue: The city of Tbilisi, in Georgia, has been officially approved as an alternative, and it is ready to host the tournament in the same time frame. We are also in touch with other potential host cities from several countries where the event could be moved to, in case additional restrictions reappear in Russia and Georgia.

FIDE considers the resumption of the World Championship cycle as one of the main tasks. As one of the oldest sports traditions in the world, it is our duty to protect it and ensure its continuity. The World Championship cycle is also a crucial event in order to increase the popularity of chess around the world. FIDE is aware that millions of fans are looking forward to seeing the best chess players on the planet back at the chessboard, and we have spared no effort to make it possible despite the challenging circumstances.