Russia will miss the Chess Olympiad for a third consecutive edition after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) rejected a last-minute attempt to allow its national teams to compete at the 2026 Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, even under a neutral flag.
The decision means Russia’s Open and Women’s teams will remain absent from chess’s biggest international team competition. Russian teams have been barred from FIDE team events since restrictions were imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Individual Russian players, however, have continued to participate in international chess under neutral conditions.
Neutral-Flag Proposal Rejected
Russia had sought a pathway back into the Olympiad, including the possibility of competing without its national flag. However, the FIDE Council voted against the proposed return, keeping restrictions on Russian national teams in place for Samarkand.
The outcome is particularly notable because FIDE’s December 2025 General Assembly had mandated the return of teams in principle while directing the FIDE Council to finalize protocols for adult teams following consultation with the International Olympic Committee.
Russian chess officials have strongly criticized the latest decision. Russian Chess Federation chief Aleksandr Tkachev accused FIDE’s leadership of allowing politics to influence the sport and argued that Russia should have been permitted to return.
Belarus Allowed Back, Russia Remains Out
The contrasting treatment of Belarus has added another dimension to the controversy. In July, FIDE lifted all restrictions on the Belarus Chess Federation following an IOC recommendation. Belarusian players and national teams are consequently permitted to participate under their country’s flag at the 2026 Olympiad.
Russia, however, remains excluded despite its attempt to secure neutral participation.
Samarkand Prepares for Chess’s Biggest Team Event
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad will be staged in Samarkand from September 15 to 27, 2026. The opening ceremony is scheduled for September 15, with the first round taking place the following day and the final round and closing ceremony on September 27.
The competition will feature Open and Women’s sections, each played across 11 rounds using the Swiss system. The previous Olympiad in Budapest attracted a record 193 Open teams and 181 Women’s teams, and organizers expect Samarkand to draw another enormous international field.
Russia’s continued exclusion means one of chess’s historically strongest nations will once again be absent from the team competition, while the dispute over sporting sanctions and neutral participation remains unresolved.
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