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For two weeks in September, Samarkand was the capital of world chess — and when the pieces were finally swept from the boards, it was the home team standing at the top. Uzbekistan won the Open section of the 46th World Chess Olympiad, the largest in the event’s history with a record 397 teams from 205 federations, sealing gold with a final-round victory over Ukraine in front of packed stands. It is the country’s second Olympiad title after Chennai 2022: the team finished two points clear of the field, with India taking silver and Germany bronze.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev hailed the players as heroes of New Uzbekistan and a golden generation, singling out their wins over defending champions India, over China, and over the world’s top-rated team, the United States, on the road to the title. A new presidential decree on the development of chess, he added, will lay the foundation for even greater success. Shortly before, FIDE had named the Chess Federation of Uzbekistan the best federation of 2026 — recognition of a rise that has been both deliberate and backed by the state. Javokhir Sindarov was also named Best Male Player.