Alireza Firouzja Returns to Elite Norway Chess Tournament in 2026

Firouzja has long been seen as a symbol of the new wave in international chess. He made history by becoming the youngest player ever to reach a 2800 Elo rating, a benchmark achieved by only a select group of chess players. His meteoric rise began early: he earned the grandmaster title at 14 and later became the second-youngest player to cross the 2700 rating mark, achieving it at 16.

The French-Iranian star has also established himself as a consistent contender at the highest level of the game. Firouzja has qualified twice for the FIDE Candidates Tournament: first by winning the FIDE Grand Swiss in 2021 at age 18, and again through the FIDE rating list in January 2024. These achievements have underlined his status as a regular challenger to the world's elite.

"I'm looking forward to competing against the best chess players in the world at Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo," Firouzja was quoted as saying by Norway Chess.

The tournament is familiar territory for Firouzja, who has competed at Norway Chess on four previous occasions. He has been a central figure in several memorable editions, with his strongest performances coming in 2020 and 2021, when he finished runner-up in consecutive years.

"Alireza Firouzja has been part of Norway Chess for several years and has consistently delivered performances at the very highest level," said Benedicte Westre Skog, COO of Norway Chess. "He brings intensity, ambition and world-class quality to the field. We're very pleased to welcome him back to Oslo in 2026."

Firouzja's return is expected to further elevate the competitive standard of Norway Chess, a tournament renowned for assembling the world's best players and producing high-stakes, fighting chess.

- IANS