The 2026 Chess Olympiad, run by the International Chess Federation, or FIDE, takes place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to 27.2 It is billed as the biggest event on the world chess calendar this year, bringing national teams together for the sport's top team championship.2,8 The tournament is also listed as running September 16 to 27 in a separate event database.9

What Is Happening In Samarkand

Samarkand is described as standing at the centre of the chess world as the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad brings together the game's leading nations for its most prestigious team championship.8

Coverage of the event promises details on teams, players, schedule, favourites, format, results and how to watch.2

National squads have been forming ahead of the event. In China, Xu Xiangyu won the national championship in Xinghua in May, finishing with eight and a half points from eleven rounds, in a tournament billed in advance as carrying a direct Olympiad ticket for its winner.10 Kong Xiangrui finished half a point behind him.10

The World Championship Match Follows Soon After

Away from the Olympiad, the World Chess Championship 2026 is scheduled for Geneva, Switzerland, from November 24 to December 12.6 Defending champion Gukesh Dommaraju will face challenger Javokhir Sindarov, who won the 2026 Candidates Tournament.6

Gukesh, born May 29, 2006, won the 2024 championship match against Ding Liren, but has been noted for poor form since, dropping out of the list of top 10 ranked players in October 2025 after losing 43 rating points.6

Sindarov was born December 8, 2005.6 The Candidates Tournament that decided his spot was an eight-player event held at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus, between March 28 and April 16, 2026, alongside the Women's Candidates event.7

Other Storylines In World Chess Right Now

Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has been in strong form heading toward the Olympiad. Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand told The Times of India that he would currently rank Praggnanandhaa as the world's number one player.5

That assessment followed Praggnanandhaa's win at Norway Chess 2026, a tournament held in Norway, and his subsequent win on the 2026 Grand Chess Tour, a season-long series of elite chess events.5

Elsewhere in the sport, FIDE has officially awarded the grandmaster title to 12-year-old Argentinian player Faustino Oro, making him the youngest current grandmaster.5

What To Watch Next

The Olympiad runs through late September in Samarkand, with results expected to shape discussion ahead of the November world title match in Geneva.2,6

FIDE and World Chess have also applied for a dedicated.chess internet domain extension, a move covered as part of the platform's ongoing news coverage.3

If all this over-the-board drama has you wanting to make your own moves, you can start a private game with a friend and see how your own opening theory holds up.

Sources