Chess Olympiad 2026: Indians in action, schedule, format, live streaming — all you need to know

India will look to repeat the double-gold-medal-winning performance of the 2024 edition this time around. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU

The 46th Chess Olympiad will take place between September 15 and 27 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Olympiad will consist of two tournaments — an Open event and a Women’s event.

The opening ceremony will take place on September 15, before the first six rounds are played on consecutive days from September 16 to 21. September 22 has been marked as the only rest day, with the tournament resuming with Round 7 on September 23.

A total of 208 teams in the Open section and 191 teams in the Women’s section will play 11 rounds in a Swiss format.

Here’s all you need to know about the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026:

SCHEDULE

Here is the schedule for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand (all times in IST [GMT +5:30]):

• Round 1: September 16, 15:30 IST
• Round 2: September 17, 15:30 IST
• Round 3: September 18, 15:30 IST
• Round 4: September 19, 15:30 IST
• Round 5: September 20, 15:30 IST
• Round 6: September 21, 15:30 IST
• Rest Day: September 22
• Round 7: September 23, 15:30 IST
• Round 8: September 24, 15:30 IST
• Round 9: September 25, 15:30 IST
• Round 10: September 26, 15:30 IST
• Round 11: September 27, 11:30 IST

FORMAT

The Olympiad will be played in an 11-round Swiss team format with a classical time control.

TIME CONTROL

Under classical time control, each player receives 90 minutes for their first 40 moves, an additional 30 minutes for the rest of the game after move 40, and a 30-second bonus added to their clock for every move played starting from move 1.

Players are permitted to offer a draw at any time

PRIZES

The winning team in the Open section of the Chess Olympiad will receive the Hamilton-Russell Cup.

The winning team in the Women’s section of the Chess Olympiad will receive the Vera Menchik Cup.

The best federation in the combined classification of the Chess Olympiad will receive the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy.

Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to each member of the top three teams in both sections.

LOCATION

The event will take place at the Silk Road International Exhibition Center in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

LIVE STREAMING INFO

Where to watch the live stream of the Chess Olympiad 2026?

The live streaming of the Chess Olympiad 2026 will be available on the FIDE YouTube channel.

Which TV channel will broadcast the Chess Olympiad 2026 chess?

There has been no official announcement for the broadcasting of the Chess Olympiad 2026 in India.

RELATED | When India played its first Chess Olympiad - a slice of history from 1956