Timur Turlov wins FIDE presidential election

Kazakhstan Chess Federation President Timur Turlov was elected president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in the second round of voting. The election took place on Sept. 26 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the organization’s General Assembly.

The CEO of Freedom Holding Corp. secured 110 out of 196 votes.

During his election campaign, Turlov presented a development program for FIDE. His proposals included establishing a development fund, increasing funding for international chess, advancing digitalization, strengthening marketing and communications, and supporting national federations.

«The greatest dream we all strive for is to move closer to the Olympic program. I want there to be harmony within FIDE, and for every federation to see the difference we can achieve together over the next four years. I want FIDE to become more digital, professional and modern to enhance its prestige and influence, and to find its place in the digital world. I intend to apply my expertise in digitalization to FIDE’s operations, helping the organization build a robust digital platform and gain recognition as the leader and regulator of this game — which is both historic and modern,» said Turlov.

Viswanathan Anand has served as FIDE’s acting president since assuming the role in July 2026.

FIDE holds presidential elections every four years. Each member federation represented at the General Assembly is entitled to one vote, with voting conducted by secret ballot.

Turlov’s opponents in the election were German entrepreneurs Jan Henric Buettner and Wadim Rosenstein. Malcolm Pein and Gordon Tang were their respective candidates for deputy president, while Turlov ran alongside Anand.

Earlier, during the FIDE presidential election debates, Turlov presented plans to establish a special fund and invest more than $6 million in chess development, including support for smaller federations worldwide. Another candidate, Rosenstein, left the debate early.

The European Chess Union subsequently issued a statement regarding the election, reaffirming its institutional neutrality and distancing itself from Rosenstein’s campaign.