Women's event at the 42nd Chess Olympiad

The women's event at the 42nd Chess Olympiad, organised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), was held from 2–13 September 2016 in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is contested by a record number of 142 teams representing 138 nations. Azerbaijan, as host nation, field three teams, whilst the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) and the International Chess Committee of the Deaf (ICCD) each provide one team. A total number of 693 players are participating in the women's event.

China won the gold medal in the women's event, their first since 1994 and their fifth overall. Russian Valentina Gunina, playing on board two, was the best individual player in the women's event with 8 out of 10 points (seven wins, two draws and one loss) with a rating performance of 2643. The gold medals on the other boards were won by Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine on board one, Gulnar Mammadova of Azerbaijan on board three, Tan Zhongyi of China on board four, and Guo Qi of China as a reserve player.