DESCRIPTION:
*     Altogether 64 players, including two from India (Dronavalli Harika and Padmini Rout), have qualified to compete in this knock-out championship.
*     Several top female players have decided not to attend the championship.
*     Hou Yifan, the reigning women`s world champion and top ranked female player, decided not to enter the tournament because of dissatisfaction with FIDE`s Women`s World Championship system.
*     The 2015 Women`s World Champion, Mariya Muzychuk, and current US Women`s Champion Nazi Paikidze also elected not to attend, out of protest at the tournament`s location in Iran, where it is mandatory for women to wear the headscarf in public.
*     Other notable absentees are seven-time US Women`s Champion Irina Krush, and women`s world number 4 Koneru Humpy (India).
*     Odisha IM Padmini Rout has been dreaming to win this world title.
*     She is scheduled to meet GM Elina Danielian of Armenia in the first round.
*     Before the Women World Championship, Padmini represented Guang Dongg Club in the Chinese League.
*     Prior to her training schedule which started in January, Padmini visited Hatkoti in Himachal Pradesh on a trekking expedition to strengthen as well as refresh her mind and body.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS:
From World Women’s Championship 2014-15:
01. Pogonina Natalija (RUS) – Runner-up 2014 (2457.00)
02. Cramling Pia (SWE) Semifinalist 2014 (2511.50)
03. Harika Dronavalli (IND) - Semifinalist 2014 (2506.16)

World Girl Junior Champions 2014-2015:
04. Goryachkina Aleksandra (RUS) World Junior G20 Champion 2014 (2479.16)
05. Buksa Nataliya (UKR) World Junior G20 Champion 2015 (2227.58)

From average Rating List 2/2015 to 1/2016:
06. Ju Wenjun (CHN) 2547.08
07. Muzychuk Anna (UKR) 2545.58
08. Kosteniuk Alexandra (RUS) 2530.08
09. Zhao Xue (CHN) 2522.66
10. Shen Yang (CHN) 2460.75
11. Ushenina, Anna (UKR) 2452.16

28 Players from European Women’s Championships 2014 & 2015:
12. Gunina Valentina (RUS) 2014
13. Melia Salome (GEO)
14. Zhukova Natalia (UKR)
15. Dzagnidze Nana (GEO)
16. Batsiashvili Nino (GEO)
17. Javakhishvili Lela (GEO)
18. Stefanova Antoaneta (BUL)
19. Foisor Cristina-Adela (ROU)
20. Socko Monika (POL)
21. Khurtsidze Nino (GEO)
22. Kashlinskaya Alina (RUS)
23. Danielian Elina (ARM)
24. Bodnaruk Anastasia (RUS)
25. Mkrtchian Lilit (ARM)
26. Guseva Marina (RUS) 2015
27. Girya Olga (RUS)
28. Gaponenko Inna (UKR)
29. Kovalevskaya Ekaterina (RUS)
30. Khotenashvili Bela (GEO)
31. Paehtz Elisabeth (GER)
32. Charochkina Daria (RUS)
33. Savina Anastasia (RUS)
34. Hoang Thanh Trang (HUN)
35. Guramishvili Sopiko (GEO)
36. Atalik Ekaterina (TUR)
37. Zimina Olga (ITA)
38. Ziaziulkina Nastassia (BLR)
39. Gvetadze Sofio (GEO)

8 Players from Americas:
40. Arribas Robaina Maritza (CUB) (Continental)
41. Nemcova, Katerina (USA) (Zone 2.1)
42. Ni, Viktorija (USA) (Zone 2.1)
43. Foisor, Sabina (USA) (Zone 2.1)
44. Zhou Qiyu (CAN) (Zone 2.2)
45. Marrero Lopez, Yaniet (CUB) (Zone 2.3)
46. Cori T., Deysi (PER) (Zone 2.4)
47. Martinez, Ayelen (ARG) (Zone 2.5)

12 Players from Asia/Oceania:
48. Sukandar, Irine Kharisma (INA) (Continental 2014)
49. Hejazipour, Mitra (IRI) (Continental 2015)
50. Zhu, Chen (QAT) (Zone 3.1)
51. Shamima, Akter Liza (BAN) (Zone 3.2)
52. Pham, Le Thao Nguyen (VIE) (Zone 3.3)
53. Saduakassova, Dinara (KAZ) (Zone 3.4)
54. Tan Zhongyi (CHN) (Zone 3.5)
55. Zhai Mo (CHN) (Zone 3.5)
56. Ni Shiqun (CHN) (Zone 3.5)
57. Huang Qian (CHN) (Zone 3.5)
58. Lane, Nancy (AUS) (Zone 3.6)
59. Padmini, Rout (IND) (Zone 3.7)

3 Players from Africa:
60. Mona, Khaled (EGY) (Continental)
61. Mezioud, Amina (ALG) (Continental)
62. Latreche, Sabrina (ALG) (Continental)

2 Nominees of the FIDE President:
63. Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat (IRI) (FIDE nominee)
64. Pourkashiyan, Atousa (IRI) (FIDE nominee)