US Chess Announcement About the 2026 Continental

What is this announcement?

The USA will not send an official delegation to the 2026 Continental.

Accordingly, US Chess will not be handling any registration, paperwork, or related administrative matters for this event. US Chess will also not issue endorsement letters or “no objection” letters. 

Why was this decision made?

The 2026 Continental Championships are scheduled for June 1-11, 2026, located at Carretera Cocoyoc – Oaxtepec Km 2.5, Centro, 62738, Morelos, Mexico.

Currently, the nation of Mexico is under a Level 2 travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State, however, the State of Morelos is a Level 3 designated area, which is defined as “reconsider travel.” The advisory further states that there is a heightened risk of crime, terrorism, and kidnapping from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs, and criminal organizations. US Chess cannot reasonably guarantee our players, parents, coaches, and staff safe passage and accommodation in that region of the world at this time. Therefore, per standard policy regarding countries and/or areas of Level 3 or higher, US Chess has decided not to authorize a delegation to this event. 

US Chess sincerely apologizes to the players who will lose the opportunity to compete in this event. Certainly, they’ve done nothing wrong. However, the real world sometimes intrudes on our shared pastime. The safety of our members (particularly our youngest members) and staff is always our primary concern.

I still have questions. Where can I ask them?

Contact Brian Yang, FIDE Events Manager, at Click here to show email address.