At the end of October, a FIDE delegation led by President Arkady Dvorkovich visited Uzbekistan as part of preparations for the 46th Chess Olympiad, which the country will host in 2026.

Upon arriving in Samarkand on October 27, the FIDE delegation met with local authorities, inspected the construction of the EXPO Center, and reviewed hotel capacity to ensure compliance with FIDE requirements. The 46th Olympiad will follow Samarkand’s successful hosting of the 2023 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships.

The next day, October 28, the FIDE delegation continued to Tashkent, where they held a productive meeting with the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, who is also President of the Uzbek Chess Federation, as well as the Minister of Sport Adham Ikromov, and Alisher Sa'dullayev, Director of the Youth Affairs Agency and first deputy chairperson of the Uzbek Chess Federation.

The discussions covered various aspects of the preparation for the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand and highlighted ongoing efforts to develop and promote chess throughout Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan has quickly risen in the chess world, with five players currently ranked among the world’s top 100, underscoring the country’s growing prominence in the sport. The nation won the 2022 Chess Olympiad and recently secured bronze at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest.