Reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh will participate in Norway Chess 2026, widely regarded as one of the strongest and most prestigious tournaments on the global chess calendar.
The Indian prodigy will arrive in Oslo as the youngest undisputed World Champion in the history of the sport. Expressing his excitement, Gukesh said, “I’m really happy to be playing Norway Chess again, competing against an extremely strong field as always, and I’m looking forward to many exciting games.”
Gukesh’s remarkable rise reached its peak in 2024, when he won the Candidates Tournament and went on to defeat then World Champion Ding Liren to claim the world title at just 18 years of age. His career has been marked by several historic milestones, including becoming the youngest player ever to cross the 2750 rating mark and earning the Grandmaster title at the age of 12, making him the third-youngest grandmaster in chess history.
He has also played a pivotal role in India’s recent dominance on the international chess stage. At the Chess Olympiad, Gukesh secured individual gold on board one in 2022, followed by an exceptional performance in 2024, where he won both team gold and individual gold on board one.
Norway Chess has already featured some defining moments in Gukesh’s career. At the 2025 edition of the tournament, he finished third and recorded his first classical win over Magnus Carlsen in a dramatic encounter that included the widely shared table-slam moment, making it one of the most talked-about games of the event.
Welcoming his return, Norway Chess COO Benedicte Westre Skog said, “Having Gukesh return to Norway Chess as the reigning World Champion is something we truly value. India has emerged as one of the strongest chess nations in the world, and we know many fans will be closely following Gukesh. We hope chess audiences across India will tune in as he competes in Oslo in 2026.”
With Gukesh returning as World Champion, Norway Chess 2026 once again promises a lineup featuring players at the very highest level. The tournament follows its distinctive six-player double round-robin format, ensuring intense and high-quality competition throughout.
