Timur Turlov Announces Proposed $10 Million FIDE Development and Media Funding Program

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, September 24th, 2026, FinanceWire

Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. and a candidate for president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), has announced a proposed funding program of more than $10 million to support chess development, digitalization and media initiatives if he is elected.

The proposed program includes approximately $7 million for a development fund and $1.5 million for media initiatives, with total funding expected to exceed $10 million. The proposed development fund would support tournaments, training for arbiters and coaches, player travel, national federation staff, marketing and communications.

Turlov said the proposed funding would be designed to provide initial support for projects that can develop sustainable sources of revenue over time rather than create long-term dependence on a single investor.

Proposed Development and Media Initiatives

Turlov has cited his experience supporting chess development in Kazakhstan, where Freedom Holding Corp. has provided funding for tournaments, players, coaches and other chess activities.

According to figures cited by Turlov, the company invested approximately $30 million in chess development in Kazakhstan over three years, including $11.2 million in 2025. He has also said that funding was provided for international tournaments organized with FIDE.

Under the proposed FIDE program, a Chess Media Fund would support national federations in developing digital channels, producing content, working with sponsors and strengthening communications capabilities.

Turlov has also proposed establishing a longer-term calendar of major FIDE events, with tournaments scheduled two years in advance. He said greater predictability could assist players and organizers while providing broadcasters and commercial partners with more certainty when planning investments.

Digital Infrastructure and Education

Digitalization is another component of the proposed program. Turlov has outlined plans for a unified FIDE digital platform, a digital FIDE ID, customer relationship management tools and an online learning system for players and coaches.

The proposals would build on existing digitalization work, including FIDE's partnership with Salesforce, with the stated aim of making digital tools more accessible to national federations of different sizes.

Education is also included in the program. Turlov has proposed broader integration of chess into school curricula and has cited Kazakhstan's experience, where he says chess has been introduced in 1,500 schools as of 2026, with a target of 2,500 schools.

Other elements of the proposed program include support for federations with limited resources, women's chess, larger prize funds, social initiatives and changes to the scheduling of the World Championship cycle.

Turlov has also identified potential commercial partnerships as a way to expand the financial base of chess and support digitalization and development initiatives in regions including Africa and Latin America.

The FIDE presidential election is scheduled for September 26, 2026, during the federation's General Assembly in Samarkand. Each national federation represented at the General Assembly has one vote.

About Timur Turlov

Timur Turlov is the founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. He has served as head of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since 2023 and is a candidate for president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Contact