History has been made in Samarkand!

Uzbekistan mathematically secured the championship even before their match against Ukraine had concluded. This was because India drew 2–2 with Hungary in the final round. After 10 rounds, Uzbekistan held a one-point lead over India—18 points to 17. The path was not easy. Uzbekistan won all of the first 7 rounds of the tournament, including crucial victories over India (2.5–1.5) and China (3–1). In the 8th round, Germany brought the winning streak to an end, but the team bounced back immediately: in the 9th round, they defeated the tournament’s top-seeded team, the USA, and in the 10th round, they overcame Armenia with a score of 3.5–0.5.

And finally, a concluding victory against Ukraine sealed the gold medal.

The Uzbekistan squad:

Javohir Sindarov

Nodirbek Abdusattorov

Nodirbek Yakubboev

Shamsiddin Vohidov

Muhiddin Madaminov

The team captain is former world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov. Four of the players in this lineup were also part of the team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai. The performance of Uzbekistan in chess over the last three Olympiads deserves special attention:

2022, Chennai — GOLD

2024, Budapest — BRONZE

2026, Samarkand — GOLD

In other words, Uzbekistan has not left a single one of the last three Chess Olympiads without a medal, and for the second time in four years, it has emerged as the strongest national team in the world in the Open section. What makes this achievement particularly unique is that this latest championship title was secured on home soil—in Samarkand. Back in 2022, some viewed Uzbekistan’s gold medal at the Olympiad as a fluke or a one-time success. However, in 2026, our team demonstrated a strong and confident performance throughout the entire tournament, once again ascending to the top of the podium. This time, our team not only became champions but also proved—in practice—that the 2022 gold was no accident, and that Uzbekistan is currently the strongest chess nation in the world.

UZBEKISTAN — CHAMPION OF THE 46TH CHESS OLYMPIAD!

We wholeheartedly congratulate our champions and the entire people of Uzbekistan on this historic victory!