The International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded in 1924 and quickly came up with the idea of taking control of the World Championship, although this did not happen until 1948.
Both reigning champions died during or shortly after World War II, Menchik during a bombing raid on her home in England in 1944 and Alexander Alekhine under somewhat suspicious circumstances in early 1946.
This meant a cycle of Zonal, Interzonal, and Candidates Tournaments to produce a challenger who would then face the defending champion in a match for the title.
In the case of the open title this format was widely criticized, since several of the tournaments played during this period (1998–2004) were won by players with relatively low ratings.
Players shown bracketed in italics (e.g. (Kushnir) in 1973–75) qualified for or were seeded in a specific stage of the championship cycle, but did not play.
64 players 6 round, mini-match, knockout tournament Ju Wenjun beat Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova Alexandra Kosteniuk beat Anna Muzychuk Mariya Muzychuk beat Zhansaya Abdumalik Kateryna Lagno beat Lei Tingjie Ju beat Kosteniuk Lagno beat M. Muzychuk beat Kateryna Lagno 5-3 Alexandra Kosteniuk[30] Mariya Muzychuk[30] (Hou Yifan)[31] Anna Muzychuk[31] Tan Zhongyi[31] Nana Dzagnidze[31] Valentina Gunina[31] Aleksandra Goryachkina[32] 8 player double round-robin tournament Kazan, May-June 2019 (2018 Champion) January 2020 12-game match drawn 6-6 Ju Wenjun won rapid play-off 2½-1½ September 2019-June 2021 Top two qualify Kateryna Lagno Mariya Muzychuk[34] 8 player knockout tournament Monaco, Khiva, and Chongqing, October-December 2022, March-April 2023 (2020 Champion) July 2023 12-game match Ju Wenjun won 6½-5½ Sochi July-August 2021 103 players, 7 round, mini-match, knockout tournament Top three qualify Tan Zhongyi Anna Muzychuk Riga October-November 2021 50-player Swiss tournament Top player qualifies September 2022-May 2023 Top two qualify[35] Aleksandra Goryachkina Koneru Humpy[37] 8 player double round-robin tournament Toronto, April 2024 (2023 Champion) 12-game match Baku July-August 2023 103 players, 7 round, mini-match, knockout tournament Top three qualify[35] Nurgyul Salimova Anna Muzychuk Isle of Man October-November 2023 Top two qualify[35] Tan Zhongyi