On the morning of May 2, 2025, the pre-launch ceremony themed “Chess Moves Water City, Wisdom Connects the World” for the 2026 FISU World University Mind Sports took place at Liaocheng No.1 Experimental School. Xie Jun, Vice President of FIDE, President of the Chinese Chess Association, Chair of the University Chess Branch of the Chinese University Sports Association and four-time Women’s World Chess Champion, attended the ceremony in person. A full lineup of activities followed, including a keynote speech, a master-level elite chess tournament, simultaneous exhibition games and parent-child chess matches. These events ignited widespread enthusiasm for mind sports and showcased Liaocheng’s unique charm as a “City of Mind Sports”.
Cai Lei, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of Liaocheng Municipal Bureau of Education and Sports; He Chuanqing, Member of the Party Committee and Vice Principal of Liaocheng No.1 Experimental School; Tian Changxin, Vice Principal of the school; Wang Jie, Secretary-General of Liaocheng Chess Association, alongside around 400 chess players and their parents, gathered to witness the launch of the pre-event campaign for the 2026 FISU World University Mind Sports.
The ceremony kicked off with the stirring national anthem. Cai Lei delivered an address, expressing gratitude to President Xie Jun for her long-standing support for sports development in Liaocheng, especially the growth of chess across the city. He noted that hosting the FISU World University Mind Sports Games marks a key milestone for Liaocheng to integrate into the global community and embrace the future.
Deputy Director Cai further stated that the World University Mind Sports Games serve as a vital platform for young people to engage in global dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. He voiced the city’s vision to leverage the Games as a bridge to deepen cooperation with international organizations and universities, fostering an open, inclusive ecosystem for mind sports. The event will bring young people worldwide closer through competitive play, strengthen mutual understanding via collaboration, and jointly write a new chapter of “bonding through wisdom and harmonious coexistence”.
President Xie Jun then took the floor, praising Liaocheng’s remarkable achievements in chess development and underscoring the great significance of the upcoming World University Mind Sports Games. She remarked that Liaocheng has forged ahead steadily over the years: rooted locally, expanding its reach across Shandong Province, building influence nationwide and earning global recognition. Through consistent, down-to-earth efforts, the city has delivered one outstanding achievement after another, infusing its thousand-year cultural heritage with distinctive intellectual vitality. This solid foundation empowered Liaocheng to formally bid for the Games back in 2024, outcompeting rival cities to secure hosting rights for the 2026 edition. Xie Jun voiced high hopes for the Games, expressing her wish that Liaocheng will seize this opportunity to elevate local chess development to new heights of quality.
Hosted by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and held every two years, the FISU World University Mind Sports Games stands as a premier global competition featuring university student athletes, with chess and bridge as its two official disciplines.
Following the launch ceremony, President Xie Jun delivered an insightful keynote speech titled Chess Education and the Cultivation of a Growth Mindset. Running parallel to the talk was Liaocheng’s Elite Tournament for National Chess Masters, where competitors battled fiercely over two days, staging a spectacular high-level contest for mind sports enthusiasts. Supplementary activities including parent-child chess tournaments and bridge education seminars drew large crowds of families and students alike.
Chess has flourished across Liaocheng in recent years. The city has made remarkable headway in grassroots popularization and nurtured a cohort of standout players such as Jiang Tianyu, Ji Jiadong and Shi Yige. Hundreds of chess events hosted annually have also earned widespread positive feedback nationwide.
We firmly believe the 2026 FISU World University Mind Sports will be a resounding success. More importantly, it will act as a stellar platform for young people from all corners of the globe to discover the unique scenery of this eastern water city, experience its rich local customs, and witness how mind sports like chess shape the growth of children and teenagers in Liaocheng.
