Uzbekistan Eyes Chess Glory at Samarkand Olympiad

The Silk Road city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan is hosting the 2026 Chess Olympiad — the biennial team world championship for both men and women — with around 2,000 players competing through September 27. The tournament marks the culmination of a remarkable rise for Central Asian chess, with the host nation firmly among the leading contenders.

Uzbekistan's Chess Revolution

The country's ascent is in large part the work of Rustam Kasimjanov, 46, who lives near Bonn and served as FIDE World Champion in 2004, though a planned match against Russian superstar Garry Kasparov never materialized due to a dispute with the federation. His popularity at home sparked widespread interest in the game. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev later issued a formal decree on measures for the further development and popularization of chess and improvement of player training. The investment paid off: Uzbekistan won the gold medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad. By the end of 2026, young star Javohir Sindarov will contest the individual World Championship final against reigning champion Dommaraju Gukesh of India.

Chess is already very popular in Uzbekistan, and after this Olympiad it will probably become a real boom, Kasimjanov told Deutsche Welle.

Four Favorites, Including Germany

For the men's tournament, Kasimjanov names four leading contenders: India, China, USA and Uzbekistan, in any order. But he also has an eye on Germany: I have long expected Germany to seriously compete for the medals.

Germany's top player, 21-year-old Vincent Keymer, has established himself at the highest level with an attacking style that produces more wins — and more losses — than most rivals. Alongside him, Mathias Blubaum, 29, a trained mathematician, surprised the chess world by qualifying for the Candidates final in late 2025. After this year I certainly have no fear of playing against the world elite, Blubaum said.

One player notably absent from Samarkand is former world number one Magnus Carlsen, who recently became a father and is not representing Norway this time. Carlsen still tops the global FIDE rankings, however, and Keymer is reluctant to write him off: Just because you expect him to take everything apart does not mean you can immediately say he is no longer number one.