India’s title defence at the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad has begun on an uncomfortable note, with team captain Srinath Narayanan publicly expressing his frustration over the accommodation arrangements in Samarkand.India head into the tournament with considerable expectations after producing a historic performance at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest. The Indian Open team won gold in Budapest, while the women’s team also claimed the top prize, giving India a memorable double triumph.The 2026 squad again boasts some of the biggest names in world chess. World champion D Gukesh will spearhead the team alongside R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi, with Narayanan serving as captain.
Narayanan fumes over the accommodation
Narayanan took to X after the Indian contingent arrived in Uzbekistan, claiming that the team had been waiting for hotel rooms for several hours without any clarity over when they would be allotted.“Having a terrible experience at the @FIDE_chess 2026 Olympiad. The team landed 5 hours ago at Samarkand airport. The team still haven’t been allotted rooms, with absolutely no clarity on when it’ll be allotted.”The complaint comes just ahead of the opening ceremony and the start of the competition, putting the spotlight on the organisers’ preparations for what is expected to be the biggest Chess Olympiad in history.
Vidit joins Srinath in raising concerns
The concerns were echoed by India’s Vidit Gujrathi, who reposted Narayanan’s post on X and described the team’s first experience in Samarkand as far from ideal.“Very poor first impressions of the Samarkand, Uzbekistan Olympiad 2026. Still waiting….”
‘No clarity’ over rooms after five hours
The timing of the issue could be particularly frustrating for the team. The Olympiad is set to begin shortly, with the first round scheduled for September 16. Players need sufficient time to recover from travel, settle into their accommodation and prepare for the opening round.FIDE’s official arrangements state that eligible teams are provided accommodation and meals during the tournament period, with participating teams staying in designated four- and five-star hotels.The incident comes as Samarkand prepares to host a record-breaking edition of the Chess Olympiad. The 2026 event features 400 teams, 208 in the Open section and 192 in the Women’s section, making it the largest Olympiad in the history of the competition.With hundreds of teams, players, coaches, captains and officials arriving in the Uzbek city around the same time, accommodation and transportation represent a significant logistical challenge for the organisers.
