3 Monster Issues Chess Will Have To Grapple With In 2026

While the chess world likes to think it is one big family, relations often get strained. From cheating to sexism, issues are always bubbling under the surface. They just never seem to go away.

Going into next year, chess has several live issues on the horizon—here are three of the most troublesome:

Vladimir Kramnik

There's no denying that GM Vladimir Kramnik is a lightning rod in the chess world right now. What's more, the controversy surrounding him does not reflect well on the game, whichever way you look at it.

Many chess fans still love Kramnik. The former world champion is the legendary figure who dethroned GM Garry Kasparov.

But he is also the subject of serious allegations made to FIDE's Ethics and Disciplinary Committee—and this is the number-one live issue in the eyes of an entirely different set of chess fans.

Kramnik stands accused of making unfounded allegations of cheating against the late GM Daniel Naroditsky, among others. The finger of blame has been pointed at the 50-year-old Russian for the much-loved American's tragic death in October. What happened is still raw, and will be for a long time.

Kramnik, however, denies everything and appears unrepentant. He has also announced his intention to file a lawsuit against FIDE in order to clear his name.

It looks likely that, however slow the committee investigating him has been in the past, it will have to report in 2026. The community, and many top players, are demanding it. What any punishment might be, we simply can't predict.

FIDE's committee has the power to ban players for life, but that seems unlikely. Besides, Kramnik is retired. A petition for him to have his grandmaster title revoked currently has 54,000 signatures. Again, that seems unlikely.

Yet while the furore over what happened continues and the matter has been referred for investigation, by none other than FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich himself, Kramnik's controversial utterances on the social media site X have not stopped. Even in death, he has not left Naroditsky alone.

Kramnik won't be told what to do by anyone. Will FIDE deal with that? Does it have the power to? We will find out in 2026.

Russia

The 2025 FIDE Assembly ended with Russian and Belarusian teams being readmitted to international team competitions and all restrictions in junior events being lifted. It signals the end a period of isolation for the two nations following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

But if you think the result is the end of the matter you are wrong. Make no mistake this issue isn't going away—in fact, we bet it will only become bigger.

Next year tournaments will see Russian and Belarusian teams compete at the 46th FIDE Olympiad in Samarkand in September. Flags and anthems will also start appearing at junior events.

They have already appeared at the FIDE U9-U17 Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship which concluded on December 21 in Antalya.

That brings with it a whole lot of complications. What level of resistance will there be? We don't know yet, it's early days.

But the Ukrainian Chess Federation is sure to protest, supported by a host of powerful western federations. The English Chess Federation has already said it will stand up to FIDE on this and won't allow any Russian symbols at events in England.

What will be the reaction be if Ukraine are drawn against Russia? Or, more likely, will FIDE act to keep them apart, as it previously has done with Israel and Iran?

Will other federations agree to send their juniors to events where the Russian flag is flown and the anthem potentially played? Some of this may not even be in their hands—national governments could act to stop them.

Has any of these problems been foreseen by FIDE? This issue will come into sharp focus over the next 12 months. It is a car crash waiting to happen.

Magnus Carlsen

GM Magnus Carlsen remains the strongest chess player on the planet. Of that, there is little doubt.

But he is no longer the official World Champion, after giving up the title in 2022, he also appears to have lost interest in classical chess, and he's fallen out with the international governing body FIDE.

Carlsen has made no secret of his frustrations. They appeared to peak at the 2024 World Rapid Championship, this time last year, where he was fined $200 for wearing jeans. The scandal was dubbed "Jeansgate" and made headlines worldwide.

Carlsen then withdrew from the rapid event and declared himself "at full war with FIDE." Then he made a U-turn to play the Blitz before, in another major controversy, agreeing to share the title with GM Ian Nepomniachtchi.

While Carlsen has his reasons for turning his back on the mainstream events, none of this is ideal. How can the biggest star in chess be brought back into the fold?

When Carlsen abdicated his world title three years ago he also stepped out of the World Championship cycle.

"I am not motivated to play another match. I feel that I don’t have a lot to gain, and I will simply not play."

Carlsen wanted the world title match to be drastically revamped, with new time controls. FIDE wanted to continue the championship's long tradition since 1886 of classical games dominating the format.

Carlsen stuck to his word. Instead, he decided to concentrate on the events he likes best. In 2025 he has been competing in the Freestyle Grand Slam, a five-event tour which he won.

Carlsen appears to favour the freestyle variant of the game and significant money has been pumped into the new tour to make it attractive.

FIDE is trying to rebuild bridges. But the tug-of-war continues. In a clear olive branch to Carlsen, FIDE has partnered with Norway Chess to announce a new Total World Championship, with events at a variety of time limits. It seems right up Carlsen's street.

Dvorkovich also congratulated Carlsen after his Freestyle tour win, saying FIDE recognises Carlsen as the number-one in the freestyle discipline.

The Norwegian has also confirmed he will head the line-up for the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz in Doha, an event he clearly enjoys and has unfinished business in.

It is certainly a boost for FIDE. Beyond that, however, Carlsen's participation in FIDE events is not known.

Can FIDE draw him back in? 2026 will tell us.