Chess as a Universal Language: How Children from 22 African Countries Found Common Ground at the Chessboard

On July 11, the African continental stage of the World School Team Chess Championship (WSTC) concluded in Cape Town. The competition was held under the auspices of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) with the support of Freedom Holding Corp. and its founder, Timur Turlov. This is the first time a tournament of this level for school teams has taken place on the African continent. According to the CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., advancing chess projects helps create equal opportunities for children regardless of their background, social status, or country of residence.

 Winners of the African Tournament

Twenty‑six school teams representing 22 African countries took part in the competition. Bronze medals were won by students from Welgemoed Primary School (South Africa). The team from Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School (Kenya) took second place. The tournament winner was Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School (Uganda).

Since 2025, the WSTC has been held under the auspices of FIDE in partnership with the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), headed by Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. The African stage was financially supported by the Holding.

“Chess is a universal language - a game that allows us to transcend borders and find common ground. In chess, each piece has its own unique capabilities. When building the Freedom digital ecosystem, we, like chess players, have learned to coordinate various parts of a single whole, ensuring their effective interaction,” said Timur Turlov.

Freedom has been systematically involved in organizing major chess competitions and supporting international tournaments. Among the projects funded by the Holding in 2024 are the Asian Youth Championship in Almaty, the World Team Rapid and Blitz Championship in Astana, and the World Team and Individual Rapid and Blitz Championships on Wall Street in New York. The New York tournament featured the world’s leading chess players, including Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

The Tournament United Children from Across the Continent

For most participants, the competition in Cape Town was their first experience performing on the international stage. Of all the schoolchildren who came to the tournament, 91 participants had no official chess rating prior to the event.

A special part of the African stage ceremony was the letters from chess players who had taken part in previous stages of the championship in Asia. The schoolchildren who had already finished competing were asked: “What would you say to the other participants if you were on stage during the opening ceremony?” The children wrote about victories and defeats, friendship beyond borders, big dreams, and the world that opens up to them through chess.

One letter read: “If you lose, it’s okay - you can be a little sad. However, only for a short while. Then it’s better to analyze the game and imagine that learning something new was your plan all along.”

Another participant noted that the language barrier does not prevent children from understanding each other:

“Don’t be afraid if you and your opponent speak different languages. In chess, you can understand each other without words - right after the first move.”

In another letter, children were reminded that an international championship is not just a competition but also an opportunity to see the world: “I hope that you will look not only at the board but also around you at this championship. The world is truly vast, and it’s wonderful to discover it while playing chess.”

New Opportunities for Children from Vulnerable Communities

 Patrick Mukasa, coach of the winning team from Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School, said that many of his students grew up in disadvantaged areas and belong to socially vulnerable groups. According to him, chess gives them the opportunity to get an education, travel, and implement their abilities.

“I believed in my kids because we were the favorites of the tournament - the best team in the country and the region. These children train at an academy located in a ghetto. They grew up in unfavorable conditions and face all the problems associated with that. I trained them so that they could take advantage of the opportunities that chess provides. Thanks to this game, they develop and travel the world. I am proud that talented children from such areas will be able to contribute to our country and the whole world,” said Patrick Mukasa.

Why Timur Turlov Is Promoting School Chess

Freedom Holding Corp. is an international FinTech ecosystem operating in 22 countries. The Holding allocates more than USD 15 million annually to the development and popularization of chess.

Supporting sports and educational projects goes hand in hand with the growth of the business itself. According to the financial statements for FY 2026, Freedom Holding Corp.’s net profit more than doubled to USD 153.3 million, while revenue reached USD 2.2 billion for the first time since the company’s listing on Nasdaq.

Timur Turlov was one of the initiators of the establishment of the International School Chess Federation and became its head in 2024. ISCF is part of the FIDE structure and unites national organizations engaged in promoting chess in schools. One of the federation’s key goals is to facilitate the inclusion of chess in educational curricula across different countries.

“Our mission, as representatives of the chess world and the International School Chess Federation, is to help national federations and activists disseminate knowledge and integrate chess into school programs,” said Timur Turlov.

In April 2026, Freedom acquired ChessBase - one of the oldest and largest international platforms in the field of chess software, analytics, and databases. The Holding intends to invest EUR 5 million in the project’s development and provide the platform with access to its own client audience, which numbers over 14 million users.

At the same time, Freedom Holding Corp. continues its international expansion. In early July, the Holding obtained a permit to conduct banking activities in Turkey. The company is also working to obtain banking licences in the European Union, primarily in France.

Timur Turlov’s strategic goal is to transform the Freedom digital ecosystem into a global platform present in the markets of Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

After the conclusion of the African stage, the 2026 World Schools Team Championship cycle will continue in the Americas. The continental tournament will be held from August 11 to 16 in San José, the capital of Costa Rica. Following the four continental stages, the strongest school teams will meet in December at the championship’s grand final.