FIDEThe recent success of the last World Chess Championship and rockstar-like celebrity of its winner, Magnus Carlsen, do not appear to have done a whole lot for the ability of FIDE (the World Chess Federation) to organize and finance other major tournaments.

The 2014 World Championship match, due to take place just 6 months from now, has yet to find a home—and that with a rematch between Carlsen and the previous champion, Viswanathan Anand! Even after extending the deadline (to April 30th), FIDE has not received a single bid for organizing the event.

A public dispute has erupted between FIDE and the South African Chess Federation over the organization of the World Youth Championship scheduled for September in Durban. FIDE refused to approve the tournament invitation drafted by the South African federation, arguing that the hotel rates are too high and that participants should not be required to pay 100 percent of costs in advance.

Worse is FIDE’s dispute with the Singapore Chess Federation, whom the organization accuses of unilaterally changing conditions for the World Amateur Championship without even providing notice.

A World Under-16 Chess Olympiad was supposed to take place later this year. However its host, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, has withdrawn. And without sufficient remaining time to make alternate arrangements, FIDE has announced that the event likely will not be held.

An even more prestigious tournament is in danger of also being cancelled. Local press reports that the Norwegian Chess Federation is running short of money to produce the Chess Olympiad, scheduled for August in Tromsø. More than 2,000 participants from 181 countries are expected at the Olympiad. A request for supplementary funding of NOK 15 million ($2.5 million) was rejected by the government. Said one official, “When a group gets money from the state, they have to mount an arrangement that fits within the framework.” FIDE’s Treasurer and Executive Director, Nigel Freeman, posted an open letter on the organization’s website asking the Norwegian federation to provide assurances that the Olympiad would not be cancelled.