Uzbekistan crowned Chess Olympiad champion on home soil

Among the medalists were members of Uzbekistan’s second women’s team, who claimed bronze in Category B. In the Open section, players from the Uzbekistan-1 team also received individual honors: Nodirbek Yakubboyev won silver on Board 3, Javokhir Sindarov earned bronze on Board 2, while Nodirbek Abdusattorov captured gold on Board 1.

FIDE’s special awards for Best Female Player and Best Male Player were also presented during the ceremony, with Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov being named the tournament’s Best Male Player.

Newly elected FIDE President Timur Turlov then presented the championship trophy and medals to the winners of the women’s competition. China secured the gold medal and the prestigious Vera Menchik Cup, Kazakhstan finished second with silver, and India claimed bronze. The national anthem of China was played in honor of the champions.

Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and Chairman of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation Abdulla Aripov later awarded the winners of the Open section. Germany received bronze medals, India took silver, and Uzbekistan was crowned champion, lifting the Hamilton-Russell Cup and receiving the gold medals. The State Anthem of Uzbekistan was played in celebration of the host nation’s historic victory.

Uzbekistan was represented by three teams in both the Open and Women’s competitions. The Uzbekistan-1 squad, consisting of Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubboyev, Mukhiddin Madaminov, and Shamsiddin Vokhidov, scored 20 points to claim the Chess Olympiad title.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated the national team on its achievement, describing the players as a “golden generation” that had written a new chapter in world chess history.

The President also praised Uzbekistan’s other teams, particularly the national para chess team, whose bronze-medal finish was hailed as a significant achievement. He described the country’s chess players as talented, resilient and ambitious representatives of New Uzbekistan.

The Samarkand Olympiad proved historic in several respects. Alongside Uzbekistan’s championship victory, the Uzbekistan Chess Federation was named FIDE’s Best Federation of 2026, renowned grandmaster and coach Rustam Kasimdzhanov was elected Honorary Vice President of FIDE, and Hulkar Tohirjonova was elected FIDE Regional President for Central Asia.

The ceremony concluded with a gala concert featuring leading Uzbek artists and young performers. In a symbolic handover, representatives of the United Arab Emirates received the FIDE Chess Olympiad flag, as the UAE will host the 47th Chess Olympiad in Abu Dhabi in 2028.

FIDE President Timur Turlov officially declared the 46th Chess Olympiad closed and thanked the leadership and government of Uzbekistan for successfully organizing the event and presented the Uzbekistan Chess Federation with the FIDE Medal of Merit.

Turlov noted that the tournament was especially significant as the first Chess Olympiad in FIDE’s nearly century-long history to be hosted in Uzbekistan and Central Asia, setting new benchmarks for participation, organization and inclusivity.

Noteworthy, in the final round, Kazakhstan's women's team drew with Poland to finish the tournament undefeated for the first time in its history.