Magnus Carlsen won the first FIDE-recognized Freestyle Chess World Championship, defeating Fabiano Caruana 2.5-1.5 in the final at the Weissenhaus resort in Germany, played February 13-15.
The match turned on a dramatic third game in which Caruana failed to convert a completely winning position and went on to lose. Needing only a draw in the final game, Carlsen held comfortably to secure his maiden Chess960 world title.
Organizers and FIDE billed the event as the first official world championship in the format, following Carlsen's victory in the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, and Chess.com counted it as his 21st world title across formats.
Source: Chess.com