Sindarov receives Chess Olympiad 2026 ceremonial torch from Anand, Narang

File - Javokhir Sindarov during the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League Season in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: J ALLEN EGENUSE

FIDE interim president Viswanathan Anand and AICF president Nitin Narang handed over the Chess Olympiad 2026 ceremonial torch to Candidates 2026 winner and top Uzbek player Javokhir Sindarov in Bengaluru on Monday.

The Chess Olympiad, the most prestigious team competition in chess, will take place in Samarkand from September 15 to 27.

FIDE had introduced the Chess Olympiad Torch Ceremony in 2022 on the lines of the Olympic flame to celebrate the global reach of the sport and build excitement for the competition.

“The Chess Olympiad Torch is a powerful symbol of how the game connects nations and generations. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi began this tradition in India in 2022, and it is special to see the flame now travel from India, the game’s birthplace to Uzbekistan, two nations with a deep and growing chess culture. We wish Javokhir Sindarov and Uzbekistan the very best as Samarkand prepares to welcome the chess world,” said Narang.

India is the defending champions in both the open and women’s categories, after having clinched both crowns in 2024.