Javokhir Sindarov Wins Candidates Tournament to Challenge for World Chess Title

Javokhir Sindarov has secured his place in the 2026 World Chess Championship match by winning the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, setting up a showdown against defending champion Gukesh Dommaraju later this year.

The 20-year-old Uzbek grandmaster clinched victory with a round to spare after drawing with Anish Giri in the penultimate round of the double round-robin event. His result of nine wins and five draws from 13 games gave him 9½ points, two clear of his nearest rival with one round remaining.

Sindarov’s unbeaten run — six wins and seven draws — marks a record performance in the Candidates Tournament since it adopted the double round-robin format in 2013. His six victories are the most by any player in that period.

Entering the tournament as the fourth-ranked player among the eight qualifiers, Sindarov exceeded expectations with a wire-to-wire triumph. He led the standings from start to finish, losing no games and demonstrating consistent form against elite competition.

His victory means he will face Gukesh Dommaraju, the 18-year-old Indian grandmaster who won the title in 2024, in a best-of-14 match for the world championship. The date and venue for the contest have not yet been announced.

Sindarov becomes the first player from Uzbekistan to earn a World Championship challenge since Rustam Kasimdzhanov won the title in 2004. His success adds to a growing legacy of Uzbek excellence in chess, which includes team gold at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and the presence of world top-ten player Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

The Candidates Tournament, held in the Cypriot coastal town of Peyia, featured eight of the world’s strongest players competing over 14 rounds. Sindarov’s composure was evident in his final game, where he exchanged queens early and maintained a steady position to secure the draw that confirmed his victory.

After the game, Sindarov remarked on his mental state during the decisive encounter: “After he exchanged queens [20 Qxa6] … I didn’t have any pressure. I felt very comfortable during the game.”

His achievement represents a significant milestone in his rapid ascent, following his individual victory at the 2025 World Cup. At just 20 years old, Sindarov is now poised to contest the sport’s most prestigious title against one of its youngest-ever champions.