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FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026: Pakistan refuses to play Israel, gives walkover
Pakistan refused to face Israel in the opening round of the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, handing Israel a 4-0 walkover. The Chess Federation of Pakistan said the boycott was in line with the government's policy towards Israel.
Pakistan refused to play Israel in the opening round of the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday, giving its opponents a 4-0 victory by walkover.
Pakistan did not field a single player for the scheduled match, leaving all four boards unplayed in the Open section of the tournament. The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) said the decision was in line with the country's policy towards Israel and was also intended to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.
CFP President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi said Pakistan had a clear and consistent policy regarding Israel and that the federation could not take part in a match that went against the government's position.
"We have boycotted the match to express solidarity with the Palestinian people," Naqvi said.
He added that Pakistan would continue to participate in international sporting events but would respect the Pakistani government's official position on Israel.
The Pakistan-Israel match was scheduled for Wednesday as part of the opening round of the prestigious biennial event. However, Pakistan declined to take part, handing Israel a full 4-0 win without a move being played on any of the four boards.
The 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand from September 15 to 27. The tournament features separate open and women's sections and has more than 390 teams registered across the two competitions.
The Chess Olympiad is one of the biggest events on the international chess calendar, bringing together national teams from across the world.