Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen (five-time World Chess Champion, five-time World Rapid Chess Champion and eight-time World Blitz Chess Champion) withdrew from last year's FIDE Rapid and Blitz World Championships because he wore jeans, violating the dress code, and was fined 200 USD by the chess federation. After the dress code was loosened, he reinstated himself to the Blitz tournament (he later won the Championship sharing the title with rival Ian Nepomniachtchi, leaving fans thinking it was a joke).
One year later, FIDE has announced the dress code for this year's edition of the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, to take place in Doha, Qatar, between December 26-30, 2025, and the website specifically says they will allow "appropriate" jeans, as long as they are not worn-out, for both men and women.
"Dark business casual trousers, including classic, non-distressed jeans (blue, black, and grey)", the dress code reads.
Carlsen (who later auctioned his famous jeans to donate money for charity, eventually being sold for $36,100) is indeed part of the tournament line-up next month. Further confirming his presence at the tournament, Carlsen himself said promised he would "deliver on some viral rage moments" and that he will be "grinding the gym to fit into tighter jeans than last time".
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