--- title: "National federation in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/national-federation.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/national-federation" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "A national federation is the chess body that represents a country within FIDE; players register through it to appear on the rating list." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide-rating.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/uscf.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/us-chess-rating.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-requirement.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tournaments-ratings-titles.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # National federation in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. A national federation is the chess body that represents a country within FIDE; players register through it to appear on the rating list. A national federation is the chess body that represents a country within FIDE; players register through it to appear on the rating list, and it applies for titles and reports rated tournaments for them. FIDE does not deal with every player directly. Each member country has a national federation, and the federation is the link between its players and the international system. To be included in the FIDE [rating list](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-list.md) a player must be registered through a national chess federation that is a member of FIDE and is not excluded from membership. Rated tournaments are pre-registered by the federation of the country where they are held, which is also responsible for submitting results and paying the fees. Each federation designates a Rating Officer to handle rating and title matters. A [title application](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-application.md) is sent and signed by the Rating Officer or President of the player's federation, and the certificate of results for a title tournament is countersigned by the organizing federation's Rating Officer or President. If a federation refuses to apply, the player can appeal to FIDE and apply directly. National federations matter for norms too: [title norms](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm.md) need opponents from several federations, and the Title Regulations cap the share of opponents who come from the applicant's own federation. In the United States the national federation is US Chess, and its own [rating system](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rating-system.md) is separate from the FIDE one. If you plan to play internationally, check which federation you are registered with. It sits close to [FIDE](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide.md). FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation, is the international body that publishes the Laws of Chess, keeps the rating lists and awards titles, working through its member national federations. Compare it with [USCF](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/uscf.md). The USCF, now branded US Chess, is the official governing body for chess in the United States, a nonprofit that represents the country in FIDE and maintains the national rating system most American tournament players are measured by. A neighboring idea is [US Chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/us-chess-rating.md). A US Chess rating is the number the American federation assigns a player from results in its rated events; it is separate from a FIDE rating and from ratings on chess websites, so the numbers should not be swapped. Rating and title terms like "National federation" matter once you know your next step, and the [improvement plans by rating band](https://georgelichess.com/improve.md) set out a weekly routine for each rating range. ## Related terms - [FIDE](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide.md) - [FIDE rating](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide-rating.md) - [USCF](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/uscf.md) - [US Chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/us-chess-rating.md) - [Norm](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm.md) - [Title requirement](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-requirement.md) ## Guides that go further - [Chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md): What a rating measures, how FIDE, Lichess, US Chess and chess.com compute theirs, and why the numbers differ. - [FIDE chess titles](https://georgelichess.com/titles.md): How the Candidate Master, FIDE Master, International Master and Grandmaster titles are earned, with every Handbook clause. - [How to get a FIDE rating](https://georgelichess.com/how-to-get-a-fide-rating.md): The Handbook rules for a first FIDE rating: five rated games, the 1400 floor, the two 1800 draws and a worked example. ## Sources - FIDE Handbook B02 FIDE Rating Regulations (effective 1 March 2024) (Articles 0.2, 9.1, 9.3 and 10.1), read 2026-10-21: https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B022024 - FIDE Handbook B01 FIDE Title Regulations (effective 1 January 2024) (Articles 1.4.3 and 1.4.4), read 2026-10-21: https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B012024 - FIDE Handbook B01 FIDE Title Regulations (effective 1 January 2024) (Articles 1.8, 1.10.3 and 1.10.4), read 2026-10-21: https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/B012024 [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [FIDE in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide.md) - [FIDE rating in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/fide-rating.md) - [USCF in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/uscf.md) - [US Chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/us-chess-rating.md) - [Norm in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/norm.md) - [Title requirement in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/title-requirement.md) - [Chess terms: Tournaments, ratings and titles](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/tournaments-ratings-titles.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)