How do you prepare for an event expecting 1,500 players from Europe and China?

First of all, European Go Congress is not just a single tournament, but a massive organizational entity comprising nearly 20 different events spanning two weeks. Preparing such a huge structure demands serious planning, extensive teamwork, and compliance with the international standards set by the European Go Federation, which shapes our comprehensive program of both main and side tournaments.

However, we are designing this process as a festival where participants will be enriched in every sense, so it is not just the games that make the Congress special. We have a wide spectrum of activities ranging from cultural tours and sports events to seminars, workshops, and film screenings, all aiming to create an unforgettable atmosphere in Ankara that brings together thousands of people from different cultures to celebrate both the game and friendship.

What is the current organizational stage?

As of January, we are in an advanced planning stage of the organization. Although our early bird registration was originally planned to end in December, we decided to extend the discounted registration period into January. We strongly encourage participants not to miss this opportunity.

What about the full program?

At this point, the full program has been published. The overall structure of the Congress is complete, and the schedules involving professional players are now being finalized. Announcements regarding invited guests and professionals will follow shortly, but participants can already consider the program largely settled.

Will there be an open call for international volunteers for EGC 2026?

Since the pandemic, inviting international volunteers has become something of a tradition at EGC events. However, for EGC 2026 we are not planning an open international volunteer call.

As this will be the first European Go Congress held outside Europe, we anticipate that volunteering conditions may be more demanding. At the same time, we have strong confidence in Turkiye’s young and motivated local Go community, and we plan to cover the majority of volunteer needs domestically. That said, we expect to require a limited number of experienced technical staff, particularly for roles such as: 'pairing and tournament operations' and 'referee' related duties.