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Shanghai and Chongqing host the intense 12-game title battle between Chinese grandmasters.
The 2025 FIDE Women's World Chess Championship is an all-Chinese confrontation between reigning champion Ju Wenjun and challenger Tan Zhongyi. The 12-game match runs from April 1 to 23, 2025, and will be played across their hometowns—Shanghai and Chongqing.
This is the third time Ju and Tan face off in a world title situation. In 2017, Tan emerged victorious in a knockout tournament, eliminating Ju on her way to securing the championship. The following year, Ju claimed the title by defeating Tan.
The match is divided into two segments: the first six games are being held in Shanghai, followed by the remaining games in Chongqing. This arrangement honors the tradition of hosting championship matches in the players' hometowns.
The championship is played in a 12-game format, and the winner is the first player to achieve 6.5 points. Tie-breaks will be used to decide the champion if both players are tied at six points after all the games. The defending champion, Ju Wenjun started the match with the white pieces.
Both grandmasters carry impressive credentials: Ju Wenjun has been the world champion since 2018, while Tan Zhongyi qualified for the challenge by emerging as the winner of the Women's Candidates Tournament 2024.
Not only does this championship point to the individual achievements of Ju and Tan but also to China's continued dominance of women's chess. The country has bred six women's world chess champions, further solidifying its position as a giant of the sport.
As the games unfold, chess players across the globe anxiously watch this high-stakes game, hoping for strategic brilliance and a showcase of the best chess expertise.
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