Uzbekistan Chess Federation

♟️ About Uzbekistan Chess Federation

The Uzbekistan Chess Federation (O‘zbekiston Shaxmat Federatsiyasi) is the national governing body for chess in Uzbekistan. Founded in March 1996 and headquartered in Tashkent, the federation is responsible for developing chess nationwide, organizing national and international competitions, supporting regional chess structures, developing young players, and selecting Uzbekistan’s teams for major international championships. It is a member of both FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation. Uzbekistan has become one of the strongest emerging chess nations in the world. The men’s national team won the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai in 2022 and followed that achievement with a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest. The federation also supports an exceptional generation of elite players, including Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vokhidov, and other internationally active Grandmasters. The federation is currently led by Abdulla Aripov, with Alisher Sadullaev serving as First Vice-President, Komil Sindarov as Vice President, and Bobir Sattarov as General Secretary. Its central project in 2026 is the organization of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, one of the largest events in world chess.

📜 Development and International Success

Uzbekistan has a deep chess tradition, but the federation’s modern international profile has grown particularly rapidly during the last decade. The country produced Rustam Kasimdzhanov, winner of the 2004 FIDE World Chess Championship, and later developed a generation of young Grandmasters capable of competing at the highest international level. The 2022 Olympiad victory marked a major breakthrough. Uzbekistan’s young Open team finished undefeated and won the gold medal ahead of several traditional chess powers. Two years later, the team confirmed its position among the world elite by taking bronze in Budapest. Uzbekistan has simultaneously developed into an important host country for international chess. Samarkand staged the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2023, followed by the FIDE Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss 2025, as the country prepared for the 2026 Olympiad.

🏆 Major Tournament Activity

The federation organizes an increasingly strong calendar of international events in addition to national championships and youth competitions. The 19th Georgy Agzamov Memorial was held in Tashkent from March 17–26, 2026. The two ten-round Swiss tournaments attracted almost 330 players, including 20 Grandmasters, with a total prize fund of USD 80,000. Armenian GM Haik Martirosyan won the main Open on tie-break. The federation also organized the 3rd UzChess Cup, held from June 6–16, 2026 in Tashkent. The festival featured elite Masters, Challengers, and Futures round robins together with a large Open tournament. The Masters field included Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hans Niemann, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Vidit Gujrathi, and several leading Uzbek players. Mukhiddin Madaminov won the 2026 Masters group.

🌍 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026

The federation’s most important organizational project is the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, scheduled for September 15–27, 2026 in Samarkand. The Open and Women’s competitions will each be played over 11 rounds, with the opening ceremony on September 15 and the final round on September 27. Uzbekistan Chess Federation serves as the principal host organization together with FIDE and the national Organising Committee. The event is expected to bring thousands of players, officials, and visitors from national federations around the world to Samarkand. The wider program also includes the 3rd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities from September 10–18 and the FIDE Congress from September 20–27. The FIDE General Assembly and elections are scheduled for September 26.

🎓 Chess Development

The federation’s responsibilities extend from elite chess to grassroots development. Its official structure includes regional federations, coaches, arbiters, commissions for women’s chess, chess in schools, and chess for players with disabilities. It also supports the International Chess Academy and provides organizational and methodological assistance to chess clubs throughout Uzbekistan. This national development structure has helped Uzbekistan combine mass participation, junior training, elite-player preparation, and major international tournament organization within one federation system.

🏛️ Organization and Leadership

Abdulla Aripov currently heads the Uzbekistan Chess Federation. Alisher Sadullaev serves as First Vice-President, Komil Sindarov as Vice President, and Bobir Sattarov as General Secretary. For general federation enquiries, the headquarters in Tashkent maintains a central email address and two official hotline numbers. Bobir Sattarov, as General Secretary, is the most appropriate administrative contact for the organizer profile.