Key facts
- Uzbekistan won the 46th World Chess Olympiad, the largest in the event's history with 397 teams.
- Javokhir Sindarov will challenge Gukesh Dommaraju for the World Championship title in Geneva.
- The World Championship match is scheduled for November 24, 2026, and will be the youngest in history.
- Uzbekistan's victory marks their second Olympiad title, following Chennai 2022.
Uzbekistan has won the 46th World Chess Olympiad, held in Samarkand, marking the largest Olympiad in history with a record 397 teams from 205 federations. The home team secured the title with a final-round victory over Ukraine. This is Uzbekistan's second Olympiad title, following their win in Chennai in 2022. India finished second and Germany third.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev celebrated the team's success, calling them heroes. Javokhir Sindarov, a 20-year-old Uzbek player, was named Best Male Player. He will now challenge India's Gukesh Dommaraju for the World Chess Championship title in Geneva in late November. This match is notable for being the youngest World Championship match in chess history, with both players being 20 years old. The first game is scheduled for November 24, 2026, with a prize fund of US$2.5 million.