In an incredible display of youth talent, Uganda's top-seeded Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School has been officially crowned the African Continental Stage Champions of the FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Chess Championship 2026. The victory, highlighted by the African Chess Confederation in July 2026, saw the young Ugandan prodigies live up to immense expectations as they navigated a tough field of international scholastic competitors. This triumph highlights the incredible grassroots development taking place across the continent, proving that African scholastic chess programs are actively producing formidable, world-ready competitors. For the students of Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary, this gold-medal performance not only brings national pride to Uganda but also sets a high benchmark for the upcoming generation of African grandmasters.
The Western Cape Chess Association, operating under the aegis of Chess South Africa, successfully hosted the prestigious 2026 South African Open Chess Championships earlier this winter. The national event took place from June 27 to July 5, 2026, at the DF Akademie located in Bellville, Cape Town. Serving as a massive gathering of the country's brightest strategic minds, the tournament delivered nine exciting days of competitive chess and unforgettable over-the-board battles. To test the full spectrum of player skills, the event featured both the standard-time South African Open Chess Championships and the fast-paced South African Blitz Chess Championships. The successful completion of the 2026 Open stands as a major highlight for the Southern African chess community, continuing a proud tradition of crowning the nation's premier talent in the Mother City.
The African chess calendar is heating up this August, with Zimbabwe currently standing at the epicenter of the action. Players are presently battling it out at the J Mawere International Chess Championships, a prominent event running from August 8 to 15, 2026. However, the spotlight will quickly shift to the highly anticipated Minerva Zimbabwe Open Championships, scheduled to take place right after from August 19 to 23, 2026. These back-to-back tournaments are expected to draw top local and regional talent, offering vital preparation and rating opportunities. The competitive momentum in Zimbabwe won't stop there. Immediately overlapping the Open is the Africa Junior Chess Championships 2026, which will run from August 20 to 29. With three major tournaments packed into a single month, Zimbabwe is actively solidifying its reputation as a premier destination for competitive chess on the continent.
