The 46th Chess Olympiad will kick off on September 15 this year at the Silk Road International Tourism Center in Samarkand.

For the first time since the prestigious competition was launched in 1927, Central Asia will host the world’s largest team chess tournament.

This year’s Olympiad is expected to set a new record for the number of participants and teams. A total of 396 teams will compete, surpassing the previous record of 380 teams set in Budapest in 2024.