The Celtic League

The Celtic League is a Daily Chess League of Nations, Provinces, and Regions that unites clubs from the family of Celtic tribes and lands.

Our inaugural Open Daily League tournament begins in July 2026. Members already include clubs from the modern Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man, as well as from Spain, which has a historic Celtic presence, and from the Celtic diaspora, including Australia, Canada, and the Pacific islands.

Registration for the 2026 tournament is open until May 31st. If your club meets the membership criteria listed below, we would be delighted to have you join our Celtic Family on chess.com.

Who exactly are the Celts?

 The Celts, or Celtic Peoples, were a group of Indo-European tribal communities that lived in parts of western and central Europe from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age. These tribes and their culture spread out and established a presence in territories stretching from Portugal to Turkey.

Who Qualifies for Membership?

The Celtic League is a Daily Chess League available to Chess.com clubs that satisfy one of the membership qualification criteria.

• Clubs that represent a Nation, Province, or Region in the six core Celtic nations of modern times: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man, where Celtic languages and traditions have persisted.
• Clubs in other parts of Europe that are within regions with a historic Celtic presence, such as parts of Spain (for example, Galicia, Asturias), Portugal, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, and northern Italy, show historical Celtic influence and heritage but do not retain Celtic languages.
• Plus, the Celtic diaspora: Clubs with a Celtic affiliation through cultural ties, heritage, or geography, via migration, including clubs in Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and the U.S.A.

What form does the tournament take?

Registered clubs will be placed into Divisions for the 2026 Tournament based on a consideration of:

Club size, daily Chess.com rating, and participation in and ranking within other international Chess.com Daily Chess Tournament Leagues, such as the WCL, ECL, WL, and CCCUKI. 

The number of divisions and clubs in each division will be decided once registration closes on May 31st. All divisions will participate in a round-robin tournament with one league match each month. Round 1 will start in July. 

This event is not affiliated with or sponsored by Chess.com.

Celtic territories - Clubs within the coloured portions of the map are eligible to join.