New Leadership Ticket Aims to Transform FIDE’s Future

A fresh leadership duo has entered the race for the top positions at the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Fintech entrepreneur Timur Turlov has officially declared his candidacy for the FIDE Presidency, with five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand as his running mate for Deputy President.

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How This Unlikely Alliance Came Together

The Turlov–Anand campaign took shape following an unexpected chain of events. Initially, Turlov was positioned as the Deputy President candidate alongside incumbent FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. However, the situation changed dramatically when Dvorkovich was placed on the latest European Union sanctions list.

In response, Dvorkovich stepped back from his re-election bid. Turlov then pivoted to run for the presidency himself, and Anand—who had been serving as FIDE Deputy President since 2022—agreed to join the ticket as the Vice Presidential candidate.

“Following the decision by president Arkady Dvorkovich to suspend the exercise of his duties, and in accordance with the Fide Charter, I have assumed the responsibilities of interim president.” — Viswanathan Anand

With the nomination deadline of July 26 now passed, the FIDE presidential race features three official tickets: Turlov with Anand, Jan Henric Buettner with Malcolm Pein, and Wadim Rosenstein with Gordon Tang.

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The Campaign’s Core Vision

Operating under the motto “Moving Chess Forward. Together”, the campaign is built on five foundational pillars:

• Strengthening Global Institutions: Building a united, independent, transparent, and respected FIDE. The campaign is founded on the principle that strong Member Federations are the foundation of a strong FIDE.
• Digital Infrastructure: Developing modern digital tools to help Member Federations manage their work, improve communication, and access services and resources more effectively.
• Financial Resilience: Strengthening FIDE’s finances to enable increased investment in development programmes, competitions, and education, while supporting Member Federations.
• Empowering All Federations: Ensuring every Member Federation has an equal voice and equal access to FIDE’s opportunities and resources, regardless of size or geographical location.
• Raising Tournament Standards: Improving the standards for organising all FIDE chess events, providing larger prize funds, and creating more opportunities for players to compete and access educational materials.

“Chess is growing faster than ever before. This growth requires a strong, well organised, sustainable, transparent and forward-looking organisation providing real value to Member Federations and the Chess Community.” — Timur Turlov

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Who Are the Candidates?

Timur Turlov is the Founder and CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., an international financial services and technology group. He also serves as President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, President of the International School Chess Federation, and Chairman of the Chess Association of Turkic-Speaking Countries. His campaign pledges to bring his experience in business, governance, education, and international cooperation to FIDE.

Viswanathan Anand, the five-time World Chess Champion, has served as FIDE Deputy President since 2022 and is currently the Interim President of FIDE. He brings immense experience and respect within the chess community and is expected to be the bridge between Turlov’s management programme and the interests of professional players.

“Timur’s experience in leading a publicly listed international company, his commitment to technology and innovation, and his long-standing support for chess make him well positioned to lead FIDE through its next stage of development.” — Viswanathan Anand

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What Lies Ahead

Over the coming weeks, the Turlov–Anand campaign is expected to present a comprehensive program covering digital transformation, chess in education, financial sustainability, and governance reforms. The team will also engage in dialogue with Member Federations to ensure their priorities shape the future direction of FIDE.

The FIDE presidential election will be held on September 26, 2026 during the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which will take place alongside the World Chess Olympiad.