Upcoming FA Seminars
The agenda below displays FA Seminars officially validated by the FIDE Arbiters’ Commission.
Please use the category/tag filter to select FA Seminars in a specific language.
Arabic 
English 
French 
German 
Portuguese 
Russian 
Spanish
The 221st Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 20/03/2026 to 22/03/2026 by the Gift of Chess and Zimbabwe Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA/IO Sorokina, Anastasia (AUS), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will IA Bansod Swapnil (IND), FIDE Lecturer.
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Schedule:
20th March 2026
16:00-21:00 Laws of Chess
21th March 2026
09:30-12:00 Laws of Chess, Tie break regulations
12:15-14:15 FIDE Swiss Rules, Pairings
16:15-17:30 Title Regulations
17:45-19:00 Rating Regulations
19:15-20:45 Laws of Chess, Rapid, Blitz, Appendices and Guidelines
22th March 2026
09:30-11:00 Fair Play Regulations
11:30-12:30 Arbiters’ titles
14:30-16:00 General Regulations for Competition
16:00-16:30 The role of Chief Arbiter
16:30-17:00 Review, Questions-Answers
17:00-21:00 Examination Test
The 218th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 20/03/2026 to 28/03/2026 by the Chess South Africa, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Gunther, van den Bergh (RSA), FIDE Lecturer.
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Schedule:
All times given are SAST (South Africa Standard Time) (CET+1 or UTC+2)
Friday 20 March 2026 (Session 1): 19:00-21:00 (2 hrs)
Saturday 21 March 2026 (Session 2): 10:00-14:00 (4 hrs)
Saturday 21 March 2026 (Session 3): 19:00-21:00 (2 hrs)
Sunday 22 March 2026 (Session 4): 10:00-14:00 (4 hrs)
Friday 27 March 2026 (Session 5): 19:00-21:00 (2 hrs)
Saturday 28 March 2026 (Session 6): 10:00-14:00 (4 hrs)
Sunday 29 March 2026 (Session 7): 10:00-14:00 (4 hrs)
(a break of 10-15 minutes every 2 hours)
Saturday 04 April 2026 (Exam): 10:00-14:00 (4 hrs)
(Exam will be written online and on-camera)
Daily Schedule:
Friday 20 March
1. 19:00: Introduction
2. 19:10: Tiebreak systems
3. 19:40: Round-Robin pairings
4. 20:00: Swiss pairings + software
5. 20:55: Short recap of the session
Saturday 21 March
6. 10:00: Swiss pairings + software
7. 10:20: Player title and norm regulations
8. 11:30: Rating regulations
9. 12:00: Break
10. 12:10: Rating regulations
11. 12:45: Arbiter title/norm regulations
12. 13:30: Role of the arbiter
13. 19:00: Anti-cheating (fairplay) regulations
14. 19:30: Hybrid chess
15. 20:00: Online chess, fairplay regulations, etc.
Sunday 22 March
16. 10:00: Competition regulations, equipment, etc.
17. 11:00: Laws of Chess
18. 12:00: Break
19. 12:10: Laws of Chess
Friday 27 March
20. 19:00: Laws of Chess
Saturday 28 March
21. 10:00: Laws of Chess
22. 12:00: Break
23. 12:10: Laws of Chess
Sunday 29 March
24. 10:00: Laws of Chess
25. 12:00: Break
26. 12:10: Laws of Chess
27. 13:30: Awarding of prizes (Hort system)
28. 13:50: Recap of everything, what to expect from exam, etc.
Extra Q&A: These sessions are not compulsory to attend and is there for candidates to ask anything that was discussed during the seminar.
Tuesday 31 March: 19:00-21:00– it is highly advised that candidates attend this Q&A session.
The 220th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organised from 26/03/2026 to 29/03/2026 by the Italian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Freyd, Laurent (FRA), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will be IA/IO Bertagnolli, Gerhard (ITA), FIDE Arbiters’ Lecturer Training Programme.
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Until 16.03.2026, six places will be reserved for Italian arbiters to attend the seminar. After this date, any unused slots may be made available to other interested arbiters.
Maximum 20 participants
Registration form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUTT1nPlbhu5RMxo0HVtTnuv7Gg55NHvqWucbCw_5TjHV3PQ/viewform
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Schedule:
Thursday 26.03.2026 (4 hours)
17:00-19:30 CET Laws of Chess Part 1
19:30-21:00 CET Ratings Regulations
Friday, 27.03.2026 (4 hours)
17:00-19:30 CET Laws of Chess Part 2 including Case Studies on Laws of Chess
19:30-21:00 CET Titles Regulations
Saturday, 28.03.2026 (8 hours)
09:30-11:00 CET Laws of Chess Part 3, Rapid, Blitz, Appendices and Guidelines
11:30-12:00 CET System of Games
12:00-13:00 CET Tie break Regulations
13:00-14:30 CET Break
14:30-15:30 CET Fair play Regulations
15:30-17:00 CET General Regulations for Competition
17:00-17:30 CET Break
17:30-19:30 CET FIDE Swiss Rules, Pairings
Sunday, 29.03.2026 (3 hours + exam)
09:30-11:00 CEST Arbiters’ titles
11:00-11:30 CEST The role of Chief Arbiter
11:30-12:00 CEST Break
12:00-13:00 CEST Review, Questions-Answers
13:00-15:00 CEST Break
15:00-19:00 CEST Examination Test
(Attention: from 29.03.2026 there is the change from CET to CEST)
The 222nd Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 27/03/2026 to 29/03/2026 by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Bansod Swapnil (IND), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will be IA Karali, Tania (GRE), Lecturer Training Programme. The Technical Organizer is Yilmaz Kartal (TUR).
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
The Registration link: https://forms.gle/RQeJpzzoyTMTn2Vd6
Note: The seminar is organized by FIDE WOM with support of FIDE ARB. Up to 20 participants, women only. Individual registrations. Priority will be given to participants who were registered for the previous seminar (9–11 January 2026). There is no participation or examination fee for the participants.
27th March 2026
16:00-21:00 Laws of Chess
28th March 2026
09:30-12:00 Laws of Chess, Rapid, Blitz, Appendices and Guidelines
12:15-13:00 System of Games
13:00-14:30 Tie break regulations
16:00-18:00 Fair play Regulations
18:15-19:30 Titles Regulations
19:45-21:00 Ratings Regulations
29th March 2026
09:30-11:00 General Regulations for Competition
11:15-12:15 Arbiters’ titles
12:30-14:30 FIDE Swiss Rules, Pairings
16:00-16:30 The role of Chief Arbiter
16:30-17:00 Review, Questions-Answers
17:00-21:00 Examination Test
A FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 27/03/2026 to 29/03/2026 in Casablanca, by the Royal Morocco Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Abdulrahim, Mahdi (UAE), FIDE Lecturer, and the Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA Fourane, Hicham (MAR).
The language of the Seminar will be Arabic.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Schedule:
Friday 27th March 2026
15:00 to 16:30 Laws of Chess (Standard)
16:40 to 18:00 Laws of Chess (Standard)
18:10 to 19:30 Laws of Chess (Rapid, Blitz)
19:30 to 20:30 Chess Terms in English
Saturday 28th March 2026
10:00 to 11:30 Laws of Chess (Practice-Case’s)
11:40 to 13:00 Laws of Chess (Practice-Case’s)
13:00 to 14:00 Use of electronic clocks
Lunch Break
16:00 to 17:30 FIDE Competition Rules and standards of chess equipment
17:40 to 19:00 Swiss system and pairing rules
19:10 to 20:30 System of games, tie breaks
Sunday 29th March 2026
10:00 to 11:30 Rating and over‐the‐board titles
11:40 to 13:00 Regulations for the titles of Arbiters
13:00 to 14:00 Anti‐cheating Guidelines for Arbiters
Lunch Break
16:00-20:00 Examination Test (4 hours) Casablanca Time.
A FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organised from 02/04/2026 to 04/04/2026 in Algiers, by the Algerian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA/IO Messaoudi, Bechir (TUN), FIDE Lecturer, and the Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA/IO Zerdali, Samir (ALG).
The language of the Seminar will be French with translation to Arabic.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Schedule (Alger Time):
Thursday 2nd April 2026
09:00 to 13:30 Laws of Chess (Standard)
14:00 to 16:00 Laws of Chess (Standard)
16:15 to 17:00 Laws of Chess (Rapid, Blitz)
Friday 3rd April 2026
09:00 to 10:30 FIDE Competition Rules and standards of chess equipment
10:45 to 12:15 System of games, tie breaks
12:30 to 13:30 Regulations for the rating
14:00 to 17:00 Swiss system and pairing rules
17:00 to 19:00 English Chess words
Saturday 14th April 2026
09:00 to 10:20 Regulations of over‐the‐board titles
10:30 to 11:15 Regulations for the titles of Arbiters
11:30 to 13:30 Anti‐cheating Guidelines for Arbiters
14:00 to 18:00 Examination Test (4 hours)
The 219th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organised from 03/04/2026 to 06/04/2026 by the English Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA/IO Holowczak, Alex R (ENG), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will be IA Karali, Tania (GRE), Lecturer Training Programme.
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Registration form: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260343680576360
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Schedule:
Friday, 3 April
0900 – 1200: Laws of Chess Part 1
1400 – 1700: Laws of Chess Part 2
Saturday, 4 April
0900 – 1000: Tournament Systems
1000 – 1100: Pairing Systems
1100 – 1200: Tie-Breaks
1400 – 1530: Rating Regulations
1530 – 1700: Title Regulations
Sunday, 5 April
0900 – 1030: Anti-Cheating Regulations
1030 – 1100: Competition Rules
1100 – 1130: Use of Chessclocks
1130 – 1200: Arbiter Title Regulations
1400 – 1700: Mock Exam & Answers
Monday, 6 April
0900 – 1300: Exam
A FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 10/04/2026 to 12/04/2026 in Mississauga, by the Chess Federation of Canada and Mississauga Chess Club, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Bond, Hal (CAN), FIDE Lecturer, and the Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA Shah, Omaray M. (CAN).
The language of the Seminar will be English.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Schedule:
April 10:
6:30pm – 10:30pm Role of Arbiters (1hr) Laws of Chess (3hrs)
April 11:
10am -1pm System of Games, Tie-breaks 1.5hrs. each
2pm – 4pm – Ratings (1hr.) OTB Title Regulations (1hr.)
4pm – 6:30 Swiss system and pairing rules (2.5 hours)
7pm-8:30pm Competition Rules, Equipment standards and clocks (1.5 hrs)
April 12:
11:30am – 12:30pm Arbiter Title Regs (1 hour)
12:30pm – 1:30 Fair Play Guidelines for Arbiters (1 hr)
2pm-6pm : Exam
The FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar in Rio de Janeiro is going to be organized from 21/04/2026 to 26/04/2026 by the Brazilian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturer will be IA Ribeiro, Pablyto Robert Baioco (BRA), FIDE Lecturer, and the Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA Amaral, Mauro (BRA).
The language of the Seminar will be Portuguese.
The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
Apr, 14th – 18h30 to 22h30 – Anti‐cheating guidelines for Arbiters (2 hours) /
System of games, tie breaks (1 hour) / Regulations for the titles of Arbiters (1
hour) – online class
Apr, 15th – 18h30 to 22h30 – Swiss system and pairing rules (3 hours) / Rating
FIDE regulations (1 hour)
Apr, 16th – 18h30 to 22h30 – FIDE Competition Rules and standards of chess
equipment (1h30) / Use of electronic clocks (30 min.) / Over-the-board titles
(1h30) / English chess vocabulary (1h)
Apr, 22th – 9h00 to 13h00 – Laws of Chess (4 hours)
Apr, 24th – 8h30 to 12h30 – Written Exam