The global chess community is preparing for one of the most consequential moments in its modern history. On September 26, 2026, at the FIDE General Assembly in the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, delegates from close to 200 national chess federations will cast their votes to choose the next President of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) — the Swiss-based world governing body of chess. The election runs alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad and forms the centrepiece of the FIDE Congress, which takes place from 20 to 27 September 2026.
A Brief Word on the FIDE Congress
FIDE, founded in Paris in 1924, is one of the oldest and largest international sports federations in the world. Its Congress and General Assembly is the sport’s highest decision-making body — a gathering where member federations vote not only on the leadership of world chess but also on rating regulations, tournament rules, financial matters, and the strategic direction of the game globally. Each Member Federation represented at the General Assembly is entitled to one vote, meaning a nation like Sri Lanka has the same weight in the ballot box as the largest chess powers on earth. The President-elect serves a four-year term, which in this case runs to 2030.
Three Tickets Officially Approved
Following the closure of the nomination period on 26th July 2026, the FIDE Electoral Commission approved three presidential tickets after a preliminary examination under Article 21 of the FIDE Electoral Rules. Interestingly, incumbent President Arkady Dvorkovich, who had led FIDE since 2018, did not enter the race after being placed on the European Union’s sanctions list. Deputy President Viswanathan Anand has since assumed the role of Interim President — and remarkably, is also on one of the three tickets contesting the election.
The three approved presidential tickets, in alphabetical order, are as follows.
Jan Henric Buettner (Germany) with Malcolm Pein (England)
Born in Hamburg in 1964, Jan Henric Buettner is an international entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist with more than three decades of experience building global businesses in telecommunications, internet technology, luxury hospitality, and sports. In recent years he has become deeply involved in elite chess, best known as the co-founder of Freestyle Chess alongside Magnus Carlsen. His running mate is IM Malcolm Pein, one of the most respected figures in English chess. Pein has spent more than four decades as a player, coach, journalist, tournament organiser, and administrator. He founded the charity Chess in Schools and Communities, which has introduced chess to more than 500,000 children across the United Kingdom, and is the long-time organiser of the London Chess Classic. Pein previously ran for Deputy President in 2018. Their campaign focuses on strengthening member federations, professionalising FIDE’s commercial activities, and expanding the global reach of the sport.
Wadim Rosenstein (Germany) with Gordon Tang (Cambodia/Singapore)
Born in Ukraine in 1990 and now based in Germany, Wadim Rosenstein is the founder of WR Chess and chairman of WR Group Holding. Rosenstein first came to global chess prominence when he organised the WR Chess Masters series and later spearheaded the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships. He was recently installed as Germany’s FIDE delegate. His running mate is Gordon Tang, a well-known businessman with strong involvement in Asian mind sports. Rosenstein’s campaign positions itself as a reform ticket — advocating stronger governance, faster decision-making, professional management, and modernised digital infrastructure to give every national federation a stronger voice.
Timur Turlov (Kazakhstan) with Viswanathan Anand (India)
Perhaps the most striking ticket of the three is that of Timur Turlov and GM Viswanathan Anand. Born in 1987, Turlov is the founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., an international financial services and technology group, and currently serves as President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. His running mate needs no introduction to any chess fan — five-time World Chess Champion Viswanathan “Vishy” Anand, one of the greatest players in the history of the game and the current FIDE Deputy President since 2022. Anand has already been serving as Interim FIDE President following Dvorkovich’s suspension. Their campaign emphasises continuity, financial support for national federations to build stable revenue streams, and continuing the growth trajectory FIDE has enjoyed in recent years.
What Does the FIDE President Actually Do?
The FIDE President wields enormous influence over world chess. Under the FIDE Charter, the President provides overall leadership of the federation, represents it at the highest international level (including with the International Olympic Committee), chairs the FIDE Council, oversees the implementation of General Assembly decisions, and works with the Deputy President and the Council to guide policy across ratings, tournament regulations, world championship cycles, chess development programmes, and financial matters. In short, the President sets the strategic direction of world chess for their entire four-year term.
Who Votes and How
Each of FIDE’s roughly 200 Member Federations is entitled to exactly one vote, cast through their officially registered delegate at the General Assembly. This principle — one federation, one vote — is a cornerstone of chess democracy. It ensures that the world’s smallest chess federations enjoy the same voting power as the largest, and it makes every campaign a true global diplomatic effort. Presidential candidacies must be endorsed by letters of support from at least five Member Federations, representing all four FIDE continents.
Why This Election Matters
Beyond the personalities involved, this election matters because the winning ticket will shape the direction of chess in an era of unprecedented growth. Online chess is booming, elite tournaments are attracting global sponsorship, women’s chess is enjoying its strongest era, and youth participation continues to expand rapidly across Asia and Africa. Questions of governance, transparency, commercial development, and support for smaller federations will all be central to the campaign discussions in the weeks ahead.
For Sri Lanka and every chess-playing nation, this is not just an election — it is a moment to be part of shaping the future of the game we all love. As delegates prepare to travel to Samarkand, the chess world holds its breath.
