Women's World Chess Championship
The match for the women's world title, between the reigning champion and the winner of the Women's Candidates.
- Founded
- 1927
- Held
- Usually every two years
- Where
- Varies
- Format
- A match between the champion and the Women's Candidates winner
- Champion
- Ju Wenjun (2025)
- Most titles
- Ju Wenjun (5), Hou Yifan (4)
History
The women’s world title was first contested in 1927, at the London Olympiad, and Vera Menchik held it until her death in 1944. Since then it has been decided by tournaments, matches and, for a period, knockout events, and has been a match every time since 2019.
Ju Wenjun has held the title since 2018 and defended it four times. Her next challenger is Vaishali Rameshbabu, who won the 2026 Women’s Candidates; the match is due in 2027.
Women's World Chess Championship in The Chess Herald
Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Ju Wenjun · beat Tan Zhongyi |
| 2023 | Ju Wenjun · beat Lei Tingjie |
| 2020 | Ju Wenjun · beat Aleksandra Goryachkina in rapid tiebreaks |
| 2018 | Ju Wenjun · November knockout, beat Kateryna Lagno in the final |
| 2018 | Ju Wenjun · May match, beat Tan Zhongyi |
| 2017 | Tan Zhongyi · knockout, beat Anna Muzychuk in the final |
| 2016 | Hou Yifan · beat Mariya Muzychuk |
| 2015 | Mariya Muzychuk · knockout |
| 2013 | Hou Yifan · beat Anna Ushenina |
| 2012 | Anna Ushenina · knockout |
Source: Wikipedia.
Page last reviewed September 29, 2026.