Magnus Carlsen takes another jibe at FIDE: ‘It’s very useful when you have a governing body that doesn’t necessarily have players interest at heart’ | Chess News

It seems like the feud between FIDE, world chess governing body, and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen, is not ending anytime soon.
A couple of days after making a startling revelation that he won’t be playing in the FIDE events anymore and will be focus more on his project Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, Carlsen has taken another jibe at the FIDE.
On Sunday evening meeting in Weissenhaus with Freestyle Chess organizer Jan Henric Buettner, 12 Freestyle Chess Players Club members, including Magnus has planned to form their own independent association with a qualified legal team to represent their interests.
Story continues below this ad

“What I will say is I think it was generally a fruitful discussion,” Carlsen told Take Take Take, when asked about what was discussed in the roundtable with some of the players at the event.
“I think it was generally a fruitful discussion; I think it was very helpful for players to be able to talk, and that’s very useful when you have a governing body that doesn’t necessarily have the players interest at heart.
“So it was good to be able to talk and I think a lot of us understand each other a little bit better now.”
When coaxed about whether he is playing to form a “union Magnus” and whether it is on the cards, he said: “Let’s not get into that too much.” Story continues below this ad
The feud between the former World Champion and FIDE started after the launch of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grandslam.
“FIDE has actually ‘backed out.’ What I can say now is that the relationship that my team and I have with FIDE is pretty destroyed. At least with the current adminration,” Magnus Carlsen told Norwegian TV network TV2.
“What I can say now is that the relationship that my team and I have with FIDE is pretty destroyed. At least with the current adminration.”
Magnus Carlsen said that for now he won’t be participating in the World Rapid & Blitz Championships, scheduled for Doha, Qatar, in December. If he pulls out from the event then it will be the first time since 2013 that the event will take place without Magnus Carlsen.Story continues below this ad
“As it is now, it’s completely out of the question,” he added.