Just when it seemed the 2026 FIDE presidential election had settled into a familiar pattern, one of the most extraordinary figures in chess politics has returned to the stage.
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the former FIDE president who ruled world chess for 23 years, has officially declared that he wants his old job back.
Two challengers had thrown their hats into the ring against incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich, setting up what looked like a competitive—but familiar—contest for the most political office in chess.
Ilyumzhinov's entry, however, is remarkable. Unlike the other challengers, Ilyumzhinov is not taking on Dvorkovich as an outsider. He is taking on Russia's officially endorsed candidate.
That raises an obvious question.
Why?
Announcing his candidacy, the 63-year-old made a headline-grabbing promise: if elected, he would bring the great GM Magnus Carlsen back into the Classical World Championship cycle. Ilyumzhinov did not elaborate on how he'd do that.
It is vintage Ilyumzhinov—grand promises, dramatic headlines and a huge dollop of doubt about whether he can achieve what he says he can. The most colourful character in chess is back with a bang.
Russia Already Chose Dvorkovich
Earlier this year, the Chess Federation of Russia overwhelmingly backed Dvorkovich as its candidate for another term as FIDE president, reaffirming its support for the incumbent as Russia seeks to extend its three-decade hold over the organisation's highest office.
Ilyumzhinov sought that endorsement, but didn't receive it. "We have no doubt our candidate will win the September elections in Samarkand," Chess Federation of Russia president Andrey Filatov said after the vote.
Yet instead of stepping aside, Ilyumzhinov has launched his own campaign anyway—a highly unusual move given the importance national backing typically carries in FIDE politics.
A Personal Comeback—or Something Else?
The simplest explanation is that Ilyumzhinov genuinely believes he can mount a comeback.
Few figures in chess politics have his name recognition or his confidence. His campaign launch, complete with the promise to bring Carlsen back, suggests Ilyumzhinov believes he has hope.
But his decision has inevitably prompted wider speculation.
Could he simply be running on his own initiative?
Or could his candidacy also provide Russia with an experienced alternative should circumstances surrounding Dvorkovich change before the election?
There is no public evidence that this is the case, and neither Ilyumzhinov nor Russian chess officials have suggested his campaign is anything other than an independent bid.
Even so, in a sport where politics and geopolitics frequently intersect, the timing of his return is likely to invite questions.
The Odds Remain Long
Whatever the motivation, Ilyumzhinov enters the race as a clear outsider.
Dvorkovich remains the favourite, benefiting from incumbency, broad international support and a FIDE administration widely viewed as more financially secure and commercially successful than when he took office in 2018.
The former president may yet inject fresh drama into the campaign.
Whether he can transform that attention into votes is a very different challenge.