The FIDE World Youth Chess Championships 2026 has come to a spectacular conclusion in Montesilvano, Italy. After twelve memorable days of intense competition featuring 758 young players from 84 countries, six new World Youth Champions have officially been crowned across the Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 categories.
Search interest for the tournament results is skyrocketing globally. Age-group chess is notoriously unpredictable, delivering dramatic comebacks and final-round heartbreaks. Here is your complete breakdown of the final leaderboard and the biggest stories from the tournament.
The Under-18 Open: Canada's Historic One-Two Finish
The absolute headline of the tournament occurred in the prestigious Open Under-18 section, where two Canadian International Masters finished tied at the top of the standings with an incredible 9 out of 11 points.
- The Gold Medal: IM Anthony Atanasov claimed the World Championship title thanks to a superior tiebreak score. His championship run was spectacular, winning his last five consecutive games, including a decisive final-round victory over top-seeded IM Philipp Magold.
- The Silver Medal: Compatriot IM Emanuel Kot took home the silver medal, securing the finest collective performance for Canadian youth chess history.
- The Bronze Medal: Spain’s IM Javier Habans Aguerrea completed the elite podium, finishing third with a strong score of 8 points.
Unstoppable Dominance in the Girls Under-18
While the Open section came down to tiebreak mathematical calculations, the Girls Under-18 category saw absolute, ruthless dominance. WFM Valeria Kleymenova put on a chess clinic, clinching the World Championship title with a round to spare—the only player in the entire event to do so. She finished the event undefeated with an astonishing 10/11 score (nine wins and two draws).
India’s WFM Pratitee Bordoloi claimed the silver medal with an unbeaten 9/11, recording a remarkable performance by defeating Mongolia's WFM Erdenebayar Khuslen in the final round. China's WIM Wang Qinxuanyi took home the bronze medal with 8 points.
Replay the Critical Gold Medal Game (PGN)
Moves
Did any of the results from the 2026 World Youth Championship surprise you? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!