- D Gukesh (PC: @DGukesh)
The staging of the FIDE World Cup in Goa and India’s growing presence in global chess has raised expectations. Not just in terms of performance, but also regarding more high-profile events coming to the country.
The next year is crucial. D Gukesh will defend his World Championship crown in the third or fourth quarter of 2026. Will that big match be held in India? Will the All India Chess Federation bid for it? This question is not easy to answer at the moment and here is explaining why…
What the convention is
Usually – there are exceptions, of course – the World Championship is held in a neutral country. It’s more of a policy than rule. Last year, the AICF wanted to host the match between Gukesh and Ding Liren of China. It was awarded to Singapore.
In 2013, Viswanathan Anand lost this match and his crown to Magnus Carlsen in Chennai. All six contests since then have been in countries the participants were not from. In this century, just one more of these battles was fought in the land of one of the contestants — in 2006 in Russia, where home favourite Vladimir Kramnik won.
What the AICF plans
The All India Chess Federation has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from its state affiliates to host tournaments in 2026. This may include any event – senior, junior, open, men, women, team or individual. These EOIs are expected to be submitted by the end of this year.
“If any unit expresses willingness to host the World Championship and has adequate resources in terms of government support and sponsors, infrastructure and interest in chess, and if the federation is satisfied with its credentials, we can bid for it,” Dharmendra Kumar, the AICF treasurer, told RevSportz.
What can go against India
After the Chess Olympiad in Chennai in 2022, the country hosted the World Junior Championship in Ahmedabad in 2024 before the World Cup in Goa this year. Chances of another top event coming to India so soon are not high. As Kumar pointed out, “We’ve done a good job as hosts. There are other countries who are capable as well.”
What might work for India
R Praggnanandhaa is the only player in the Candidates to be played in March-April. The winner of that will take on Gukesh in the ultimate match. If Pragg sets up an all-India clash, chances of that duel coming to India will be high. However, it’s too early and involves ifs and buts.
What other than the big match?
The EOIs can be for any event. It could be junior or cadet worlds, Asian level competitions and national tournaments. It has gone almost unnoticed under the achievements of Gukesh and women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh, but the junior boys’ (V Pranav) and girls’ (Divya) world champions are also Indians. Players from the country were the most successful at the world cadet meet in Georgia this year. Staging any event benefits the Indian youngsters.
What hasn’t happened yet
Three of the world’s top 10 in the open section are Indians. Koneru Humpy, D Harika, Divya and R Vaishali are prominent players in the women’s circuit. Still, the country doesn’t have a strong, international competition held annually. To garner points and collect norms, players have to travel abroad. Not all can afford that.
An elite event has been taking place in Chennai for three years, which is essentially a private initiative supported by the Tamil Nadu government. The AICF doesn’t yet have plans to start something of its own on these lines.
