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Javokhir Sindarov clinches 2026 FIDE World Championship spot with a round to spare, will face reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a historic clash of young stars
Javokhir Sindarov to face D Gukesh in 2026 FIDE World Chess Championship
Javokhir Sindarov secured his place in the 2026 FIDE World Championship with a round to spare after drawing with Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri in Round 13 of the Candidates. The Uzbek prodigy thus ensured he would challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju later this year.
Giri was the only player with a mathematical chance of catching Sindarov heading into the penultimate round at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort. However, despite his experience and best efforts, the 31-year-old could not halt Sindarov’s progress. The 20-year-old thus became only the second Uzbekistani, after Rustam Kasimdzhanov, to reach a World Championship match.
‘Just Appears To Be Better’
Asked about the upcoming title clashGiri suggested that Sindarov currently appears sharper but cautioned against reading too much into recent form. “To be fair, the poor guy (Sindarov) was in a situation facing me where both times he was just fine with the draw, so I didn’t get to witness him in his full glory. But the way he plays right now, he’s faster than Gukesh and he’s better prepped than Gukesh. Both calculate really well, but he just appears to be better,” Giri was quoted as saying to FIDE on Tuesday.
“But again, when Gukesh was winning the Olympiad, we were talking about Gukesh being the most amazing player in the world. He was so good; he crushed the Olympiad, he crushed the Candidates. I think there are many great players and afterwards you try to explain certain things, but I wouldn’t draw any big conclusions yet,” the Dutchman added.
Youngsters ‘More Ambitious’
The upcoming World Championship clash is set to be one of the youngest in history, with both players in their early twenties. Giri also highlighted the unpredictable nature of young talents. “I think a lot of these young players are playing really ambitious chess. To be fair, probably no matter how good a form I’m in, I probably will never really score six wins. I mean, even in my best results — I’ve done it maybe 10 times at Wijk aan Zee, a tournament which is a little weaker than the Candidates — my best result has been plus five. I never won six games (like Sindarov at the Candidates).
“So, if you’re younger, maybe they are more ambitious, so maybe their peak results are higher than some of the older players. But as you see with them, they are also unstable. So I think when it comes to Gukesh playing Sindarov, it will be about form, but of course, right now, he looks like he’s in better form,” Giri added after the conclusion of Round 13.
The World Championship is expected to take place later this year, likely between November and December, though the official venue and dates are yet to be announced.
April 16, 2026, 09:48 IST
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