Chess Olympiad 2026: Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh and Vaishali Lead India’s Title Defence Squads
India has announced its powerful Open and Women's squads for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. World Champion D Gukesh and Norway Chess winner R Praggnanandhaa headline the Open team, while Women's Grand Swiss champion R Vaishali leads the women. Both teams aim to defend their historic 2024 gold medals from September 15-27, 2026.
India has officially announced its formidable squads for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to September 27, 2026. The national chess powerhouse, fresh off a historic double gold medal triumph in the 2024 edition, is set to defend both the Open and Women's team titles with a blend of established stars and rising prodigies. The announcement, made on Thursday, July 23, 2026, sees World Champion D Gukesh and the recently in-form R Praggnanandhaa leading the charge for the Open team. Viswanathan Anand Takes Over as Interim FIDE President Following EU Sanctions on Arkady Dvorkovich.
Indian Squads For Chess Olympiad 2026
Main character energy!
India’s Chess Olympiad team is officially set 🇮🇳 Eyes on Gold, again!!@narendramodi @mansukhmandviya @FIDE_chess @PMOIndia @IndiaSports @Media_SAI @aicfchess pic.twitter.com/DjJA4opgv1
— Nitin Narang (@narangnitin) July 24, 2026
India's Powerful Lineup
The Indian Open squad boasts a star-studded roster, featuring five of the nation's top talents. World Champion D Gukesh, despite a challenging run since his title victory, will be a key player. He has, however, experienced a dip in form, losing 75 rating points over the past 19 months and finishing last in the recent Chennai Grand Masters. Countering this, 21-year-old R Praggnanandhaa arrives in Samarkand in stellar shape, having recently clinched the Norway Chess tournament in June with a decisive victory in the final round.
India Open Team:
D Gukesh
Arjun Erigaisi
R Praggnanandhaa
Nihal Sarin
Vidit Gujrathi
Captain: Srinath Narayanan
In the Women's section, India fields an equally strong team, aiming to replicate their dominant performance from the 45th Olympiad. R Vaishali, who secured the 2025 FIDE Women's Grand Swiss, will be a pivotal figure. She is joined by veteran Grandmaster Humpy Koneru and the promising Divya Deshmukh, who notably won the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup.
India Women's Team:
Humpy Koneru
Vaishali Rameshbabu
Divya Deshmukh
Vantika Agrawal
Savitha Shri B
Captain: Swayams Mishra
Olympiad Details
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad will feature intense competition over 11 rounds, utilizing the Swiss system. The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for September 15, with the first round commencing on September 16. A rest day is planned after Round 6 on September 22, before the final round and Closing Ceremony on September 27. Vladimir Kramnik Banned: FIDE Bans Former Chess World Champion for Ethics Breaches.
| Event | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Opening Ceremony | September 15, 2026 | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
| Round 1 | September 16, 2026 | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
| Rest Day | September 22, 2026 | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
| Round 11 & Closing Ceremony | September 27, 2026 | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
Defending Champions Eye Double Gold
India created history at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10-23, 2024, by winning gold medals in both the Open and Women's sections – a first for the nation. This achievement solidified India's position as a global chess powerhouse, with Gukesh becoming World Champion in 2024, further enhancing the nation's chess profile. The upcoming Olympiad in Samarkand will see India aiming to extend this golden era and firmly establish its dominance on the international chess stage.
Broadcast and streaming details for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad are not yet available. Chess enthusiasts should monitor official FIDE channels for updates closer to the tournament dates. The Indian squads are poised for a strong showing, aiming to replicate their past success and continue their impressive run in international chess.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 24, 2026 06:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
