“Anti-Aronian Shirt” Dress Code at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz 2025
The 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships will be held in Doha, Qatar, from 25 to 31 December 2025, at the Sports and Events Complex of Qatar University. The Rapid segment runs from December 26–28, and the Blitz segment from December 29–30. The total prize fund is €1,000,000.
World Champion Gukesh D and Magnus Carlsen (confirming the rummors) join over 360 players who have confirmed their participation in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship in Doha. The event, which will take place from December 25 to 30, brings together a field featuring multiple world champions, most of the sport’s highest-rated competitors, and rising stars. See the full participants list here
After the jeans debacle last year, FIDE has released a new dress code. Carlsen will be pleased to see that “Dark business casual trousers, including classic, non-distressed jeans (blue, black, and grey)” are allowed. However, Levon Aronian, with his colorful t-shirt style, might not be as happy. “Unicoloured shirt (with minor deviations allowed, e.g. checkered or striped),” read the rules.
Curiously, the poster of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz includes Aronian with a colorful t-shirt, in violation to the very own dress code FIDE released. See the poster and the full dress code below.
Susan Polgar takes a humorous look at the rules, “No Aronian shirts will be allowed either from what I read but jeans are OK. Arbiters will be intensively trained to differentiate between non-distressed jeans and distressed jeans.“
Dress code requirements
The dress code is strictly observed for the tournament and all the official events and press-conferences.
Clothing allowed for men:
- Suit
- Dark business casual trousers, including classic, non-distressed jeans (blue, black, and grey)
- Unicoloured shirt (with minor deviations allowed, e.g. checkered or striped)
- Dress shoes and loafers with closed toes
- Unicoloured sneakers (soles can be a different colour)
Clothing allowed for women:
- Skirt suit, pantsuit, dress suit
- Dress
- Dark business casual trousers, including classic, non-distressed jeans (dark blue, black and grey)
- Shirt/blouse
- Dress shoes and loafers
- Unicoloured sneakers (soles can be a different colour)
The clothes and shoes shall be neat and free of offensive slogans, tears, or rips.
No players with t-shirts, shorts, baseball caps or inappropriate dress are allowed in the playing venue.
Any requests to wear national or traditional dress shall be approved by GSC.
Sanctions for dress code violations
Minor Infringements
Minor infringements are those committed without specific intent. Examples include a sloppy or unkempt appearance, wrinkled clothing, or other minor deviations from the standard.
First Infringement will result in a financial penalty of 5% of the player’s total prize money earned in the two events, but not less than €300 for open events and €150 for women’s events.
The player is allowed to complete the current day and is not obliged to change immediately.
Further Infringements
Subsequent infringements will result in exclusion from the pairings for the next round.
Major Infringements
Major infringements are those demonstrating disregard for or denial of the dress code rules as a whole, or showing disrespect toward FIDE, the opponent, or their countries and national symbols. Examples include, but are not limited to, wearing shorts, beachwear, sleeveless shirts (for men), or clothing/footwear with offensive content or logos of prohibited sponsors (e.g., betting companies, alcohol, tobacco).
Each infringement will result in a financial penalty of 10% of the player’s total prize money earned in the two events, but not less than €1,000 for open events and €500 for women’s events.
The player will also be excluded from the pairings for the next round.