Gulf Chess Federation holds first meeting, approves organisation of Junior Individual Championship in Ajman

The Gulf Chess Federation, chaired by Ahmed Ali Al Raisi, has approved the organisation of the 2026 Gulf Individual Junior Chess Championship (Classic) for boys and girls in Ajman from July 3 to 9, as part of its plans to develop age-group categories and allocate prizes for winners.

In a statement, the federation confirmed that the timing of the championship aligns with the end of the academic year across GCC countries, which is expected to enhance participation levels and raise competitiveness among players.

The decision was made during the federation’s first meeting, held yesterday via video conference.

At the beginning of the current 2026–2027 term, Al Raisi welcomed the board members and expressed his pleasure at gathering a group of distinguished experts and professionals, stressing that their combined expertise would contribute to advancing chess across GCC countries.

The council also reviewed updates regarding the preparation of the unified statute for Gulf sports federations.

Attendees reviewed the draft submitted by the UAE National Olympic Committee in preparation for presenting its final version during the next meeting for approval. The meeting also discussed a proposal to organize another Gulf championship next November in Oman, following coordination with the relevant authorities to complete the necessary organizational procedures.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the council recommended several executive measures, most notably completing the presentation of the amended statute, reviewing details of the junior championship, and forming the federation’s permanent committees for the current term to enhance institutional efficiency and achieve the federation’s strategic objectives.