Now we know who's actually playing.
The final team lists for the 2026 Chess Olympiad have been published, with 400 teams and some of the biggest names in chess heading to Samarkand.
The U.S. will start as the Open top seed by rating ahead of defending champions India and hosts Uzbekistan, while India lead the Women's rankings ahead of Georgia, Kazakhstan, China and the USA. But we all know Olympiads don't always work like that.
Ratings aside, it is the new chess powerhouse of Uzbekistan that is many commentators' tip. And there are some other seriously strong teams.
GM Fabiano Caruana, the world number-three, leads a US squad containing GM Wesley So, GM Hans Niemann and GM Levon Aronian, while India arrive with four 2700 players including the reigning World Champion, although he may not be soon, GM Gukesh D.
But perhaps the most eye-catching line-up belongs to Uzbekistan.
World Championship challenger GM Javokhir Sindarov and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov give the hosts a formidable top two as they chase gold on home soil.
The Olympiad opens on September 15, with the first of 11 rounds played the following day and the final round on September 27.
Those are the latest official Chess-Results starting rankings.
USA Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Fabiano Caruana (2792)
Wesley So (2765)
Hans Niemann (2725)
Levon Aronian (2721)
Awonder Liang (2690)
The Americans have the strongest team by average rating, even if the veteran chess columnist Leonard Barden, writing in The Guardian, has suggested their lower boards would be "vulnerable." To gauge their depth: the U.S. team's fifth player, GM Awonder Liang, is rated 2690.
Niemann's inclusion is particularly notable. He currently sits ahead of Aronian in the submitted line-up, although the board order is not yet final.
India Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Arjun Erigaisi (2759)
R. Praggnanandhaa (2750)
Nihal Sarin (2718)
Gukesh D (2703)
Vidit Gujrathi (2697)
Yes, you read that correctly: the World Champion is currently only the fourth-highest-rated player in India's team.
That says something about both Gukesh's difficult year and the extraordinary strength of the defending champions.
India won both the Open and Women's gold medals in Budapest in 2024 and will attempt the double again in Samarkand.
Uzbekistan Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Javokhir Sindarov (2777)
Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2762)
Nodirbek Yakubboev (2685)
Shamsiddin Vokhidov (2655)
Mukhiddin Madaminov (2611)
Now that's a top two.
Sindarov arrives as the world number-four and the man who will challenge Gukesh for the World Championship later this year, while Abdusattorov has long been established among the elite.
An India-Uzbekistan pairing could therefore give us a tantalising Gukesh-Sindarov encounter just two months before their World Championship match.
Uzbekistan are third seeds and will have home advantage in Samarkand.
China Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Wei Yi (2752)
Ding Liren (2733)
Yu Yangyi (2710)
Xu Xiangyu (2629)
Kong Xiangrui (2549)
Former World Champion GM Ding Liren, who has been on the comeback trail of late, returns to China's Olympiad team.
China are fourth seeds and have three players rated above 2700, with GM Wei Yi heading the squad.
Germany Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Vincent Keymer (2767)
Matthias Bluebaum (2689)
Frederik Svane (2655)
Alexander Donchenko (2633)
Rasmus Svane (2618)
GM Vincent Keymer gives fifth seeds Germany one of the strongest top boards in the tournament.
There is also remarkable depth: every member of the German team is rated above 2600.
Netherlands Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Anish Giri (2764)
Jorden van Foreest (2728)
Loek van Wely (2643)
Erwin l'Ami (2598)
Casper Schoppen (2582)
The Netherlands are seeded sixth, with GM Anish Giri and GM Jorden van Foreest providing another 2700-plus top two.
England Chess Olympiad 2026 Team
Nikita Vitiugov (2666)
Gawain Jones (2633)
Luke McShane (2597)
Michael Adams (2595)
Daniel Fernandez (2530)
England are ranked around the edge of the top dozen and bring an experienced team headed by GM Nikita Vitiugov. The Russian-born emigre to London gave the English Chess Federation's team gloomy chances in an interview last month, World Chess reported on his comments here.
But England can always rely on GM Michael Adams, 54. The "Spider", as he is known, is back for another Olympiad alongside GM Gawain Jones and GM Luke McShane.
New British Champion GM Shreyas Royal isn't named, with the ECF preferring GM Daniel Fernandez. But England's other young star 11-year-old sensation and WIM Bodhana Sivanandan, the newly-crowned youngest-ever British Women's Champion, will go to Samarkand.
Chess Olympiad 2026 Women's Starting Rankings
India are the team to beat again. No change there.
Their squad includes GM Humpy Koneru, GM Divya Deshmukh, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, IM Vantika Agrawal and IM Savitha Shri B. Three of the world's seven highest-rated players in the Women's Olympiad are therefore in the same Indian team.
England, meanwhile, are seeded 20th and will be led by 11-year-old Sivanandan, alongside WGM Lan Yao, IM Harriet Hunt, IM Jovanka Houska and WGM Elmira Mirzoeva.
When Does The 2026 Chess Olympiad Start?
The opening ceremony takes place in Samarkand on September 15, with round one on September 16.
There are 11 rounds, with a rest day after round six on September 22. The final round and closing ceremony take place on September 27.
No doubt the event will bring us storylines aplenty.