EL2025 Divisions

Dear all.

Thanks everybody for participation in EL2024. While few matches are still ongoing, we will announce final results in due time. In meantime based on the standing on Jan 1st we have split teams into 5 divisions as:

Division 1:

Team of the Czech Republic
Team Slovakia
Team Romania
Chess Team Holland
Team Spain
Team Bulgaria
Srbija Tim
Team England
Team Scotland (promoted)

Division 2:

Team Denmark (relegated)
Team Croatia
Team Armenia
Team Belgium
Team France
Team Azerbaijan
Team Poland
Team Germany
Team Hungary - Magyar Sakkegylet (promoted)

Division 3:

Team Italia (relegated)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (relegated)
THE ALBANIANS
Team Latvia
Team Kazakhstan
Team Galicia
Team Sweden
Team Greece
Team Catalonia (promoted)

Division 4:

Team Schweiz-Suisse-Svizzera (relegated)
Team Lithuania
Team Wales-Cymru
Team Israel
Team Finland
Team Norway
Team Türkiye
Team Moldova
Vatican City (promoted)

Division 5:

Northern Ireland
Crna Gora
Team Georgia
Team Channel Islands
Team Malta
Team Ireland
Team Portugal

Motivation for this was to have roughly equal split between divisions, avoid having too unbalanced participation in bottom division and promote top team of the division which participates. I will try to put together pairings and calendar by Sunday. Until then, if you see any issue with the split to divisions, please let me know.

Just one question on why there are 44 teams registered and only 43 planned for next season? It's based on > https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/el-2025-please-register-now-if-you-want-your-team-to-take-part-in-the-new-season#comment-108322459

+ it should be easy to admit Belarus as 45th team as I'm sure they are interested in participating (after being rejected once again from WL 2025, not sure why they missed to register here timely, though) so all 5 divisions can have equal number of teams

Other thing is related with final scores, while it makes sense to wait with announcement - it can be the practice starting 2025 season, but for EL 2024 final standings should be announced the same way it was done for previous competitions, based on January 1st results (since that competition started under old rules)

@iksnicamod Thanks, friend! I hope at least someone feels better about the Belarusians being made the scapegoat

Let me answer, 44 teams included Belarus which we have decided not to admit. They do not participate in WL2025 (I admit I do not know exact reason) and FIDE keeps them sanctioned so we sticked to the same.

For making bottom division smaller and playing double round-robin, I personally do not find that attractive. 5 teams will have to play each other twice with similar players participating. Also one would need to promote several teams from bottom division in EL2024 and their matches in EL2024 do not seem to give huge confidence that they can regularly meet minimum number of players for higher division.