International Chess Federation

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. It was founded in 1924 in Paris (France), under the motto “Gens una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”). FIDE is a non-governmental institution, and it was one of the first associations of its kind in the world, alongside the governing bodies of the sports of Football, Cricket, Swimming, and Auto Racing. In 1999, FIDE was recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organisation. Being chess a truly global sport, with dozens of millions of players in all the continents, the International Chess Federation englobes 190 countries as affiliate members, in the form of National Chess Federations. Last October the International Chess Federation renewed its leadership, electing a new President: Arkady Dvorkovich, who was the main organiser of the Football World Cup 2018, and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia between 2012 and 2018. As a part of a profound reform, FIDE has recently moved its headquarters to Lausanne (Switzerland), a city that hosts multiple sports associations, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC).