The radical overhaul of the 2027 FIDE World Cup format will force players to rethink how they prepare for one of the key events in the World Championship cycle.
As reported by İdman.Biz, this opinion was shared by Azerbaijani grandmaster Nijat Abasov, a semifinalist at the 2023 FIDE World Cup and a participant in the 2024 Candidates Tournament.
FIDE has introduced a completely new structure for the World Cup. The 224-player Open event will begin with four Swiss-system groups of 56 players each. After nine rounds played with a 45-minute time control plus a 30-second increment per move, only the top four players from each group will qualify for the Round of 16, where the traditional knockout format with two classical games and tie-breaks will resume.
The Women's World Cup will also adopt the new system, with 128 players divided into two groups of 64. The top eight players from each group will advance to the knockout stage.
According to Abasov, the previous format had a unique appeal despite its longer duration.
"In general, major changes are rarely welcomed at first. The World Cup was the only tournament with this format — long, but very exciting, where anything could happen. I always felt that this made the World Cup more spectacular," Abasov told İdman.Biz.
The Azerbaijani grandmaster admitted it is still too early to draw firm conclusions because players have yet to experience the new format in practice.
"First, you have to play a Swiss tournament, and then, if you finish in the top four, continue in a knockout event. In reality, it's like playing two different tournaments. Since none of us has competed under this system yet, it's difficult to predict how it will work. But I still prefer the previous format," he said.
Abasov also believes the new structure will inevitably affect players' preparation.
"To be honest, I haven't yet had enough time to think carefully about what adjustments will be needed. But there's no doubt that the approach to preparation will have to change. Now we have to figure out exactly how," he added.
Abasov secured his place in the 2027 FIDE World Cup by winning a silver medal at the 2026 European Individual Chess Championship in Katowice, Poland. Fellow Azerbaijani grandmasters Aydin Suleymanli and Magomed Muradli also qualified after finishing third and fourth, respectively.
