Africa To Stage Historic First FIDE Chess Olympiad (In 2032, And If A Host Can Be Found)
Africa, the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, has traditionally been overlooked when it comes to hosting top level chess tournaments.
There are cultural and historic reasons, of course, but the big events have as a rule of thumb been centred around Europe and North America, with Asia hosting more and more as the game grows there.
South America also has a vibrant chess scene, with major tournaments scheduled this year in Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.
Argentina, in particular, has a rich history, largely due to the influx of talent after the 1939 Chess Olympiad in Buenos Aires. And let's not forget Uruguay, another hotbed of chess in South America.
But when it comes to the dazzling chess events where the top players gather, Africa has forever been the bridesmaid and never the bride. No FIDE World Championships, Candidates Tournaments or Chess Olympiads have ever taken place on African soil.
One recent exception was the invitation-only 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tournament in Grootbos, South Africa, won by GM Levon Aronian. It wasn't FIDE, but FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich was there. It's not enough though.
According to FIDE, however, that will change.
At a meeting of the FIDE Council held on April 24, on the sidelines of the Candidates event in Cyprus, a important decision was made to spread its crown jewel tournaments wider.
While announcing the venues for upcoming top events, FIDE formally confirmed a policy shift towards continental rotation.
It means Africa will get priority for hosting the 2032 Olympiad, FIDE's flagship team tournament and one of the biggest events in chess.
However, Africa isn't guaranteed hosting the event - a host has to come forward and front up the cash. As FIDE put it, a bid will be successful, "where this is practical and where organisational standards and financial guarantees are met."
Speaking on Facebook, FIDE Director for Chess Development GM Nigel Short said: "The Chess Olympiad will take place in Africa, for the first time ever, in 2032—providing FIDE's criteria are met.
"I expounded the basic rotational idea, in a moment of fervour, during the lunchbreak of the Cyprus Council meeting. However, the proposal's extraordinarily rapid drafting and adoption—just 30 minutes later—owes much to the FIDE Legal Director, Aleksandr Martynov, and Arkady Dvorkovich [FIDE's president], without whom it would not even have made it on the agenda."
It seems likely that if the Olympiad does travel to Africa, it is hosted in South Africa as the Freestyle Chess event was. Chess South Africa, formed in 1947, is one of the continent's most active federations.
As Short admitted: "It is a huge event and, realistically speaking, beyond the organisational capabilities of the majority of federations."
Egypt is currently the highest-ranked African federation at number 51 in the world. Egypt's number-one player is GM Bassem Amin, a practising medical doctor. Amin is also Africa's highest-rated player with a FIDE rating of 2628.
During flurry of FIDE's decision-making in Cyprus, Africa was awarded a mid-level event: the Nigerian capital of Abuja is due to host the World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Championship from August 1 to 9. Abuja submitted the bid in January 2026, and it was conditionally approved.
Let's hope that sets the tone for more to come.