FIDE’s New Structure: Appointments and Development Plans

FIDE’s Next Phase: What Will the New Governance Structure Change?

Change in chess usually draws attention at the board: a new champion emerges, a tournament changes its format, or a young player defeats an established favourite. Sometimes, however, the next important move happens outside the playing hall. It can determine who receives support, how international projects operate, and how quickly good ideas become practical opportunities.

On October 26, 2026, FIDE President Timur Turlov presented a new organisational structure for the federation. In his published address, he described it as one of the first steps in the organisation’s next phase of development. The stated priorities include supporting national federations, developing chess education, and attracting international partners.

Behind the administrative language lies a practical question: what could these changes deliver for the chess community?

How Responsibilities Will Be Divided

Under the proposed structure, the General Assembly will remain FIDE’s highest governing body. The FIDE Council is expected to take a stronger role in setting strategic priorities and overseeing their implementation. A dedicated secretariat will support the work of the governing bodies and commissions.

The President’s Office will focus on strategy and major international projects. The Secretary General will oversee the administration’s day-to-day operations. An Advisory Board is also planned to help assess initiatives and shape the organisation’s long-term direction.

To readers, these changes may seem like an internal organisational matter. Yet the division of responsibilities determines how clearly a project can progress from an initial application to a decision and, ultimately, implementation.

Consider a federation that wants to launch a coach training programme. It needs to know where to apply, who will assess its proposal, and who will support the work as it develops. When those questions are settled in advance, organisers have more time to focus on the programme itself.

Who Will Hold the Key Positions?

The address announced three appointments:

• Adil Kozhikhov — Head of the President’s Office;

• Darmen Sadvakasov — Chair of the Advisory Board;

• Alina Dvoretskaya — FIDE Secretary General.

Dvoretskaya previously served as Director General of the International School Chess Federation, or ISCF.

These appointments identify who will lead particular areas of work. Assessing the reform, however, will depend more on what follows: how effectively the leaders coordinate their efforts and how clearly they explain their decisions.

What This Could Mean for National Federations

The potential impact of the new structure is best considered through the everyday needs of chess organisations.

For one federation, the priority may be training arbiters. For another, it could be finding teachers, organising children’s competitions, or establishing a reliable calendar of local tournaments.

The value of international support therefore depends on more than its scale. Clear eligibility requirements, a straightforward application process, and responses within a reasonable timeframe also matter.

A practical sign of success will be national federations finding it easier to turn an identified need into a functioning project. That is a measure by which to assess the changes, rather than a result already achieved.

Why Education Needs Continuity

It is easy to picture a school chess programme on its opening day: new chess sets, enthusiastic children, and the first group photograph. Keeping it running six months later is much harder.

Who will continue teaching the classes? How will the next teacher be trained? Where can children play after school? How will organisers know whether the programme is making a difference?

These questions show why educational initiatives need ongoing organisational support. A single event can attract attention. Regular lessons give children a chance to move beyond their first introduction to the game.

Future projects should be assessed with that continuity in mind: are the groups still meeting, have teachers received training, and can schools continue the work independently?

How Will We Know Whether the Reform Has Worked?

A new organisational chart does not, by itself, demonstrate that change is effective. Its value will become clearer through specific questions:

• Are the requirements for joining programmes clear?

• Is it clear who is responsible for each project?

• Are announced deadlines being met?

• Are results and explanations of decisions publicly available?

For an individual player, these questions may seem far removed from the game in front of them. Yet every well-organised tournament relies on timely decisions, trained professionals, and commitments being honoured.

The Next Move: Putting the Plan into Practice

The announced structure sets out how FIDE intends to organise its future work. Its practical significance will become clearer as projects take shape and federations engage with the new system.

For the chess community, the main outcome should be opportunities people can actually use: to receive training, organise a competition, start a chess class, or support a promising player.

In chess, a good plan proves its value through a sequence of accurate moves. Organisational reform faces a similar test: each subsequent decision should bring the stated goal closer. That sequence will be the basis for judging FIDE’s next phase of development.