FIDE is hereby opening a bidding procedure for the 2018 Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress in connection with a possible bid for the 2017 FIDE World Cup.

1. Bids should reach the FIDE office no later than 31 March 2014, 13:00 GMT, by email, fax or registered post, address: 9 Syggrou Ave., 11743 Athens - Greece, fax: (+30) 2109212859, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

2. Bids should guarantee that all necessary provisions mentioned in the Olympiad Regulations of the FIDE Handbook will be covered by the Organiser (including articles 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3).

Federations and Organisers who intend to respond to the bidding procedure of the 2018 Olympiad and Congress are kindly requested to note the following:

a) The wording for the required bank guarantee has to cover the following obligations of the appointed organizer: 

1. Failure to organise the Chess Olympiad due to take place in 2018.
2. Failure to present further bank guarantees as required under the Olympiad Regulations.
3. Failure to pay the successful bidder's fee of USD 350,000.
4. Failure to meet obligations, financial or otherwise, as agreed in the contract between FIDE and the Organizing Committee of the Chess Olympiad 2018, especially concerning playing halls and full board hotel accommodation.

b) Inspection at the proposed venues will be made between 15 April and 15 June 2014. Each bidder will bear all travel and hotel expenses for two inspectors, in accordance with FIDE standards. The FIDE General Assembly in August 2014 will then decide the organiser of the event. After receiving all bids, the bidders will be informed about the exact procedure of bid presentations, which will be in accordance with the previous practice in the last four years.

The successful bidder/organiser will be asked to sign a contract with FIDE, which will include all requirements according to the Olympiad Regulations and the FIDE check-list for the events.

c) If FIDE receives a bid or bids offering to organise both the 2017 World Cup and the 2018 Olympiad & Congress, and provided such bid(s) are in accordance with all FIDE provisions, FIDE will only consider these bids during its General Assembly in August 2014.

Chess Olympiad 2018 Regulations

Released by the FIDE Secretariat, 24-09-2013