Gukesh vs Sindarov World Championship Date, Schedule & Results
The world title match of 2026 is Gukesh D (India), the defending champion, against Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan), the winner of the Candidates. It is played in Geneva, Switzerland. Game 1 is on Tuesday 24 November 2026. Here is everything in one place: schedule, live results, the players, rules, prize money and history.
Latest news before the match
Last updated Thursday 29 October 2026. Newest first; every item links to its source.
- 28 Oct 2026 – Sindarov’s last tune-up. The challenger played the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown in Saint Louis (27–29 October, 10 minutes + 5 seconds) against Caruana, Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa. Second after day 2, he won the 3-point final day and the event with 20½ points, ahead of Praggnanandhaa (19), Caruana (16½) and Nakamura (12). Follow the event. (Source: Chess.com)
- 20 Oct 2026 – Fan zone programme. FIDE named the side events in Geneva: Viswanathan Anand on his own title matches (24 November), plus simuls and fan blitz with Kosteniuk, Pelletier, Anna Muzychuk and Anish Giri. (Source: FIDE)
- 18 Oct 2026 – The seconds. Grzegorz Gajewski will again help Gukesh. Sindarov works with his coach Roman Vidonyak and with Nodirbek Abdusattorov; Mukhiddin Madaminov is expected to join. (Source: ChessBase)
- 14 Oct 2026 – Tickets on sale at tickets.fide.com: a VIP Day Pass (commentary by GMs Peter Svidler and Peter Leko) and a Fan Zone Pass. How to watch. (Source: FIDE)
- 1 Oct 2026 – Last rating list before the match. Sindarov 2782 (career best, No. 4), Gukesh 2710 (No. 28). The November list comes out on 1 November.
- 27 Sep 2026 – Olympiad in Samarkand. Uzbekistan won open gold at home, India took silver. Gukesh won an individual silver medal and Sindarov an individual bronze. (Source: Chess.com)
More dated items on our chess news page.
Live results and score
The table fills in after each game. Until colours are drawn on 22 November, White and Black show as TBD.
Game 1 starts on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 15:00 CET (19:30 IST, 09:00 ET).
| Game | Date | White | Black | Result | Score (G–S) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tue 24 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 2 | Wed 25 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 3 | Thu 26 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 4 | Sat 28 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 5 | Sun 29 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 6 | Mon 30 Nov | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 7 | Wed 2 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 8 | Thu 3 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 9 | Fri 4 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 10 | Sun 6 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 11 | Mon 7 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 12 | Tue 8 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 13 | Thu 10 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - | |
| 14 | Fri 11 Dec | TBD | TBD | - | - |
Colours are drawn at the opening ceremony on 22 November; the player with White in game 1 has White in every odd game. Results last updated: 2026-10-14.
Schedule: every game date
There are 14 game days and 4 rest days. All games start at 15:00 Geneva time (CET), which is 19:30 in India and 09:00 in New York. The match stops as soon as one player reaches 7½ points, so the later games may not be needed. Times in more cities are on the full schedule page.
| Date | Event | Start time |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 20 November 2026 | Players arrive in Geneva | - |
| Sunday 22 November 2026 | Opening ceremony and media day (drawing of colours) | - |
| Monday 23 November 2026 | Media day and technical meeting | - |
| Tuesday 24 November 2026 | Game 1 | 15:00 CET |
| Wednesday 25 November 2026 | Game 2 | 15:00 CET |
| Thursday 26 November 2026 | Game 3 | 15:00 CET |
| Friday 27 November 2026 | Rest day | - |
| Saturday 28 November 2026 | Game 4 | 15:00 CET |
| Sunday 29 November 2026 | Game 5 | 15:00 CET |
| Monday 30 November 2026 | Game 6 | 15:00 CET |
| Tuesday 1 December 2026 | Rest day | - |
| Wednesday 2 December 2026 | Game 7 | 15:00 CET |
| Thursday 3 December 2026 | Game 8 | 15:00 CET |
| Friday 4 December 2026 | Game 9 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Saturday 5 December 2026 | Rest day | - |
| Sunday 6 December 2026 | Game 10 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Monday 7 December 2026 | Game 11 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Tuesday 8 December 2026 | Game 12 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Wednesday 9 December 2026 | Rest day | - |
| Thursday 10 December 2026 | Game 13 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Friday 11 December 2026 | Game 14 (if needed) | 15:00 CET |
| Saturday 12 December 2026 | Tiebreaks (only if the score is 7–7), closing ceremony | Not yet published |
| Sunday 13 December 2026 | Departures | - |
The players at a glance
Gukesh D (India) – World Champion
Gukesh became a grandmaster at 12. In 2024 he won the Candidates in Toronto (9/14) and then beat Ding Liren 7½–6½ in Singapore, winning the 14th and last game. At 18 he became the youngest undisputed world champion ever. The same year he won individual gold on board 1 at the Budapest Olympiad (9/10) as India took team gold. 2026 has been harder: he finished last at Norway Chess and at the Chennai Grand Masters, and his rating fell from a peak of 2794 to 2703 in September before he gained 7 points at the Samarkand Olympiad, where he won an individual silver medal and India took team silver.
Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan) – Challenger
Sindarov earned the grandmaster title at 12 years 10 months. In November 2025 he won the FIDE World Cup in Goa, India, beating Wei Yi in the final tiebreak and becoming the youngest World Cup winner. In March-April 2026 he won the Candidates in Cyprus with 10/14 and no losses, a round early. He is now world No. 4 with a career-best rating of 2782. He also won team gold with Uzbekistan at the 2022 and 2026 Olympiads.
| Gukesh D | Javokhir Sindarov | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | World Champion (defending) | Challenger |
| Country | India | Uzbekistan |
| Born | 29 May 2006, Chennai | 8 December 2005, Tashkent |
| Age at game 1 | 20 | 20 (turns 21 on 8 December, the day of game 12) |
| FIDE classical rating (Oct 2026) | 2710 (world No. 28) | 2782 (world No. 4) |
| FIDE rapid / blitz (Oct 2026) | 2686 / 2659 | 2747 / 2725 |
| Peak classical rating | 2794 (October 2024) | 2782 (October 2026) |
| Grandmaster title | January 2019, at 12 years 7 months | 2018, at 12 years 10 months |
| Path to Geneva | Won the 2024 title match against Ding Liren, 7½–6½ | Won the 2025 FIDE World Cup, then the 2026 Candidates (10/14, unbeaten) |
| Classical games vs each other | 0 wins, 1 draw | 2 wins, 1 draw |
Ratings: official FIDE rating list, October 2026 (ratings.fide.com profiles 46616543 and 14205483). Ages and title dates: FIDE and Wikipedia, checked 14 October 2026.
Who is Javokhir Sindarov?
Many fans first heard of the challenger this year. In short:
- Born 8 December 2005 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He turns 21 during the match, on the day of game 12.
- Grandmaster at 12 years 10 months (2018), one of the youngest ever.
- FIDE World Cup 2025 winner (Goa, India, November 2025), the youngest World Cup winner, beating Wei Yi in the final.
- Candidates 2026 winner (Cyprus): 10/14 with no losses, a round to spare.
- Olympiad gold with Uzbekistan in 2022 and 2026; individual bronze on board 2 in Samarkand 2026.
- Rating: 2782 on the October 2026 FIDE list, world No. 4 and his career best.
- Team: coach Roman Vidonyak (Ukraine), helped by his Olympiad team-mate Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
- History: the first player from Uzbekistan to play for the undisputed title. Rustam Kasimdzhanov won FIDE’s knockout title in 2004, when the title was split.
Full profile: Javokhir Sindarov. His chances are weighed on our prediction page.
Head to head: Gukesh vs Sindarov
They have played three classical games. Sindarov won two (Moscow Open 2018, Sharjah Masters 2022) and the third was a 78-move draw at Tata Steel 2026. In faster chess at the Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw in May 2026, Gukesh won their rapid game and Sindarov won in blitz. Every game, with replays, is on the head-to-head page.
Rules, time control and tiebreaks
- Format: up to 14 classical games. 7½ points wins the title.
- Time control: 120 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, plus 30 seconds per move from move 41.
- No early draws: no draw by agreement before Black’s 40th move. Before that, only a threefold repetition or stalemate (through the arbiter) ends a game in a draw.
- Colours: drawn at the opening ceremony. The player with White in game 1 has White in all odd-numbered games.
- Lateness: a player who is not at the board at the start time loses the game.
- No postponements. Games cannot be moved.
If the match ends 7–7
- Four rapid games, 15 minutes each + 10 seconds per move.
- If still level: two rapid games, 10 minutes + 5 seconds per move.
- If still level: two blitz games, 3 minutes + 2 seconds per move.
- If still level: single blitz games (3 minutes + 2 seconds), colours reversed each time, until one player wins a game.
Prize fund
- Total prize fund: US$2,500,000 (net of local taxes).
- Normal split: each player gets US$200,000 for every classical game he wins. The rest is split equally.
- Close finish: if the match ends 7½–6½ with 13 decisive games, 8–6 with 14 decisive games, or in the tiebreaks, the winner gets US$1,300,000 and the loser US$1,200,000.
- Each player receives US$200,000 of his share one month before game 1.
Source: Regulations for the FIDE World Championship Match 2026, article 4.5.
How to watch
The official broadcast is on worldchampionship.fide.com, the site named in FIDE’s match regulations. FIDE also streams on its own YouTube and Twitch channels. FIDE had not published its broadcasters or online commentary team when we checked on Thursday 29 October 2026. Tickets for the venue are on sale at tickets.fide.com. More on the how to watch page.
The last world championship matches
Gukesh is the 18th undisputed world champion. Here are the title matches since the title was reunited in 2006. The history page has every match since 1886.
| Year | Venue | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Singapore | Gukesh D | 7½–6½ | Ding Liren |
| 2023 | Astana | Ding Liren | 7–7, rapid 2½–1½ | Ian Nepomniachtchi |
| 2021 | Dubai | Magnus Carlsen | 7½–3½ | Ian Nepomniachtchi |
| 2018 | London | Magnus Carlsen | 6–6, rapid 3–0 | Fabiano Caruana |
| 2016 | New York | Magnus Carlsen | 6–6, rapid 3–1 | Sergey Karjakin |
| 2014 | Sochi | Magnus Carlsen | 6½–4½ | Viswanathan Anand |
| 2013 | Chennai | Magnus Carlsen | 6½–3½ | Viswanathan Anand |
| 2012 | Moscow | Viswanathan Anand | 6–6, rapid 2½–1½ | Boris Gelfand |
| 2010 | Sofia | Viswanathan Anand | 6½–5½ | Veselin Topalov |
| 2008 | Bonn | Viswanathan Anand | 6½–4½ | Vladimir Kramnik |
| 2006 | Elista | Vladimir Kramnik | 6–6, rapid 2½–1½ | Veselin Topalov |
Frequently asked questions
When does the World Chess Championship 2026 start?
Game 1 is on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 15:00 CET (19:30 IST, 09:00 US Eastern). The opening ceremony is on 22 November. Game 14, if needed, is on 11 December, and tiebreaks, if needed, on 12 December.
Who is playing in the World Chess Championship 2026?
The defending champion Gukesh D of India plays the challenger Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan. Sindarov won the 2026 Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
Where is the 2026 World Chess Championship held?
In Geneva, Switzerland. FIDE named the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, Geneva, as the venue.
How many games are in the match?
Up to 14 classical games. The first player to reach 7½ points wins the title, and the remaining games are not played.
What happens if the score is 7-7?
Tiebreaks are played on 12 December: four rapid games (15 minutes + 10 seconds), then two rapid games (10 + 5), then two blitz games (3 + 2), then single blitz games until someone wins.
What is the prize fund?
US$2.5 million. Each player gets US$200,000 for each classical game he wins and the rest is shared equally. In a very close finish or a tiebreak finish, the winner gets US$1.3 million and the loser US$1.2 million.
What is the time control?
120 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 more minutes, with 30 seconds added per move from move 41. The players may not agree a draw before Black’s 40th move.
How old are Gukesh and Sindarov?
Both are 20 when the match starts. FIDE calls it the youngest World Championship match in history. Sindarov turns 21 on 8 December 2026, the day of game 12.
Who is the favourite?
On the October 2026 FIDE list Sindarov is rated 2782 and Gukesh 2710, a 72-point gap, and Sindarov leads their classical games 2–0 with one draw. Ratings do not decide matches, though. See our prediction page for the full picture.
Where can I watch the games live?
FIDE names worldchampionship.fide.com as the official broadcast site, and FIDE runs official YouTube and Twitch channels. See our how to watch page.
Who is Javokhir Sindarov?
An Uzbek grandmaster born on 8 December 2005 in Tashkent. He became a grandmaster at 12, won the FIDE World Cup in Goa in November 2025 and the 2026 Candidates in Cyprus (10/14, unbeaten), and is world No. 4 with 2782 on the October 2026 FIDE list. He is the first player from Uzbekistan to play for the undisputed world title.
Who are the seconds of Gukesh and Sindarov?
ChessBase reported on 18 October 2026 that Grzegorz Gajewski will again work with Gukesh; the rest of his team is not public. Sindarov prepares with his long-time coach Roman Vidonyak and with Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Mukhiddin Madaminov is expected to join his team.
How many days until the World Chess Championship 2026?
Game 1 is on 24 November 2026. On Thursday 29 October 2026, when this page was last updated, that was 26 days away. The live countdown at the top of this page counts down to the first move.
More on the 2026 match
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