The African continental qualifier of the World Schools Team Chess Championship (WSTC) has concluded in Cape Town, with school teams from Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa securing the top three positions and qualifying for the Grand Final. There, they will compete against the strongest school teams from Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. The championship is held under the auspices of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) with the support of Freedom Holding Corp.

The tournament was won by Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School from Uganda. Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School of Kenya finished second, while Welgemoed Primary School of South Africa claimed third place. The African qualifier took place in Cape Town from July 6 to 11.

“I’m so humbled by this fantastic performance. I believe in my boys because we are the top seed, the best in the country, the best in the region. These are kids from an academy in the ghetto, disadvantaged kids, vulnerable to all the problems that come with that. I trained them so that they can get the opportunities that come with chess. Chess is improving them; they are moving around the world, and I’m so proud that wonderful brains from such areas can serve our country and the entire world,” said Patrick Mukasa, coach of Sr. Miriam Duggan Primary School and founder of the Kamwokya Teens Chess Club and Academy, where the players train.

The tournament brought together 26 mixed-gender school teams. Notably, 91 participants had no FIDE rating and were competing in an international tournament for the first time. The championship is structured around continental qualifying events followed by a Grand Final. The next qualifier will take place in San José, Costa Rica, from August 11 to 16, bringing together school teams from the Americas. A European qualifier will follow before the best teams from all four continental events meet at the Grand Final in December 2026.

WSTC is now in its third season. Since 2025, the event has been organised under the joint auspices of FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF). The championship was launched through the initiative and financial support of Timur Turlov, founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., who also serves as President of the ISCF and President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation.

Turlov believes chess plays a key role in developing human capital and creating opportunities for young people regardless of their background.

“Any country depends on the success of its children, because if our children are successful, the country will be successful. Developing human capital is our main goal. Ultimately, a strong education system, a culture of learning, and a strong work ethic are what transform nations into prosperous economies,” Turlov said during the tournament’s opening ceremony.

Freedom Holding supports social initiatives through its corporate charitable foundation, Freedom Shapagat, which is funded by a portion of the group’s profits. The holding company operates a global ecosystem spanning brokerage, banking, insurance, telecommunications, and lifestyle services. For fiscal year 2026, Freedom Holding reported record revenue of $2.19 billion and net income of $153.3 million.

The company invests more than $15 million annually in chess development. Under Turlov’s leadership, Kazakhstan has hosted the FIDE World Championship Match, as well as numerous continental and world team championships. Over the past three years, Kazakh chess players have won 448 medals at international competitions. For his contribution to the development of sport, Turlov was awarded Kazakhstan’s Order of Parasat.

According to Turlov, Kazakhstan’s success in chess has been driven by the country’s talented young players and the systematic development of the infrastructure needed to support them.

“We devote significant resources to philanthropy because we see talent. There is no reason why Kazakhstan cannot be among the world’s leaders. I am not a professional chess player, but as a professional organiser, I was able to build the right team, secure the necessary resources, and apply business expertise to chess. Today, those investments are producing tangible results,” Turlov said.

Freedom Holding is also one of FIDE’s global partners, alongside Alphabet Inc. In addition, the company continues to invest in international chess projects. In April 2026, Freedom announced the acquisition of the legendary chess platform ChessBase, one of the world’s leading providers of chess software, databases, and analytical tools. The holding plans to invest €5 million in the platform and make its services available to the company’s more than 14 million customers worldwide.