Players

Fabiano Caruana enters the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament as one of the most established and battle-tested contenders in modern classical chess. He earned the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship in 2018 by winning the Candidates Tournament, later pushing the title match to twelve straight classical draws before the contest was decided in rapid tiebreaks. Caruana was the first player to qualify for the 2026 Candidates, sealing his place by winning the 2024 FIDE Circuit, a season-long pathway that rewards sustained excellence across elite events. In 2025, he continued to post top-tier results in major classical tournaments, reinforcing his status as a perennial title threat. Known for deep preparation and exceptional stamina, Caruana arrives in Cyprus with unmatched Candidates experience and a proven ability to hold form across long, unforgiving campaigns.

Praggnanandhaa’s rise from prodigy to elite contender has unfolded at remarkable speed. He first captured global attention at the 2023 FIDE World Cup, where he reached the final after defeating a string of top-ranked opponents, ultimately finishing runner-up to Magnus Carlsen. That performance confirmed his ability to handle sustained pressure against the world’s best. Praggnanandhaa is no stranger to the Candidates stage, having already competed in the 2024 edition, and he secured his return by winning the 2025 FIDE Circuit through consistent results across multiple top-level tournaments. A key member of India’s Olympiad gold-medal teams, Cyprus marks another major step in a career still very much on an upward curve.

Anish Giri returns to the Candidates with a profile built on elite-level experience, deep opening preparation, and sustained classical consistency. A grandmaster since the age of 14, he has spent more than a decade competing regularly at the very top, including multiple World Championship cycles. Giri qualified for the 2026 FIDE Candidates by winning the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, finishing first outright in a large and fiercely competitive field. The result highlighted his ability to deliver in long Swiss-system tournaments, where precision and endurance are decisive. His return places him once again among the players contesting the final step toward a World Championship match.

Matthias Blübaum arrives at the Candidates after the strongest classical stretch of his career. He secured qualification by finishing second at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, claiming his spot on tiebreak after an eleven-round battle against a deep international field. Blübaum first announced himself at senior level with victory at the European Individual Championship, a tournament that rewarded consistency across a large Swiss. Known for his positional understanding and resilience, he has proven particularly effective in formats that demand sustained focus rather than short bursts of form. The 2026 Candidates marks his first appearance at this stage of the World Championship cycle.

Javokhir Sindarov earned his place in the Candidates with one of the most dramatic results of the qualification cycle, winning the 2025 FIDE World Cup in Goa. His triumph required success across classical games, rapid tiebreaks, and decisive knockout moments, highlighting his adaptability under pressure. Throughout 2025, Sindarov added further strong results in elite open events, confirming that his World Cup victory was no isolated peak. Still early in his senior career, he enters the Candidates as a player whose upward momentum has already carried him to the very top tier.

Wei Yi comes to the Candidates as one of the most naturally gifted players of his generation. He secured qualification by reaching the final of the 2025 FIDE World Cup, a result that marked his full return to elite competition after a period of reduced top-level activity. Wei has already demonstrated his strength in long classical tournaments, most notably with his victory at Tata Steel 2024, one of the most demanding round-robins in the calendar. With sharp calculation and an instinctive feel for dynamic positions, he brings a capacity for decisive results that can shape the course of a fourteen-round contest.

Andrey Esipenko claimed his Candidates spot by finishing third at the 2025 FIDE World Cup, winning the third-place match to secure the final qualification place from the event. His tournament was defined by a major comeback after an early setback, recovering to eliminate top opposition and reassert himself as a contender under pressure. Esipenko first drew widespread attention as a teenager with a classical victory over Magnus Carlsen at Tata Steel, and has since continued to mature through consistent performances at elite level. His World Cup run showcased both resilience and versatility, qualities that are further tested in the round-robin demands of the Candidates.

Hikaru Nakamura (36) has been a fixture among the world’s top players for over a decade. As a five-time U.S. champion, he has been a stalwart contributor to the strength of American chess. After a two-year break when he devoted himself to streaming chess, Nakamura came back in force. In more recent years, his versatility is evident in winning the 2022 Fischer Random World Championship and holding the title of the highest-rated blitz player globally. In 2022, he won the FIDE Grand Prix, the Bullet Chess Championship, and the World Fischer Random Chess Championship. In the Candidates Tournament, he finished in fourth place in the same year, narrowly missing the opportunity to compete in the World Championship match. Nakamura’s top form continued in 2023, with triumphs in the Airthings Masters, the American Cup, and the Chessable Masters. His victory in Norway Chess 2023 propelled him to No. 2 in FIDE’s July rankings. In the FIDE Grand Swiss 2023, Nakamura finished second, securing his place in the 2024 Candidates Tournament.