Gukesh Dommaraju won the 2024 World Chess Championship, becoming the youngest undisputed world chess champion at the age of 18.[1]
The Candidates Tournament and Women's Candidates Tournament were held concurrently for the first time to determine the challengers for the reigning world champions Ding Liren and Ju Wenjun.[2] The winners, Gukesh and Tan Zhongyi, advanced to the World Chess Championship 2024 and Women's World Chess Championship 2025 respectively.
The winner of the 2024 FIDE Circuit, which encompasses major tournaments held in 2024, will qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The World Championship runner-up, Ding Liren, will no longer get an automatic Candidates spot in the 2024–2026 cycle. Instead, the World Championship match will be an eligible tournament for the 2025 FIDE Circuit.[3]