Timur Turlov has been elected FIDE president after defeating Wadim Rosenstein 110-85 in a second-round runoff in Samarkand, becoming the youngest person to head the world chess governing body.
BY Navin Upadhyay
September 25 — Kazakh businessman Timur Turlov was elected president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Saturday, September 26, becoming the youngest president ever elected to lead the world chess governing body. The 38-year-old defeated German entrepreneur Wadim Rosenstein in a second-round runoff at the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand, winning 110 votes to Rosenstein’s 85.
Turlov will serve a four-year term, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich, who had headed FIDE since 2018. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand of India, who contested the election on Turlov’s ticket, has been elected Deputy President.
The election was held alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. FIDE had approved three presidential tickets: Turlov–Anand, Rosenstein–Gordon Tang and Jan Henric Buettner–Malcolm Pein.
Turlov wins after three-way first round
The first ballot produced no outright majority. Turlov received 96 votes, Rosenstein 76 and Buettner 20, according to the published election results. With Buettner eliminated, the contest went to a second round between Turlov and Rosenstein.
Turlov secured 110 votes in the runoff, compared with 85 for Rosenstein.
The election brought an unusually competitive campaign to the FIDE presidency, with the three candidates presenting different approaches to the federation’s future, including questions of governance, commercial development, digitalisation, education and the organisation’s handling of geopolitical issues.
Today is a victory for chess – for every player, every federation and everyone who believes in the potential of our game!
We are all one family and we will continue working as one. This is a great responsibility and a vote for a better future of our sport.
Now is the time to… pic.twitter.com/ieF9HmGQf5
— Timur Turlov (@TurlovforChess) September 26, 2026
From Dvorkovich’s deputy to FIDE president
Turlov’s rise to the presidency followed a major change in the electoral field earlier this year.
Dvorkovich, who had initially planned to seek another term with Turlov as his deputy, withdrew from the presidential race after being included in a European Union sanctions package. Anand subsequently served as FIDE’s interim president, while Turlov entered the election as the head of his own presidential ticket.
FIDE formally listed Turlov and Anand as its presidential and deputy-presidential candidates when the nomination period closed in July.
Who is Timur Turlov?
Born in Moscow in 1987, Turlov later became a citizen of Kazakhstan and has built his career in finance and technology. He is the founder and chief executive of Freedom Holding Corp., the Nasdaq-listed financial-services group.
He has been president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since 2023 and president of the International School Chess Federation since 2025. Under his leadership, Kazakhstan has expanded its school-chess programme; FIDE has reported that the country’s national Chess in Education programme reaches more than 1,500 schools and 60,000 students.
Turlov and Freedom Holding have also backed major chess events and development programmes. His campaign placed particular emphasis on digital transformation, chess education, financial sustainability for national federations and institutional development.
Anand returns to FIDE leadership
Anand’s election as Deputy President brings one of the most recognisable figures in modern chess into FIDE’s new leadership team.
The former world champion had served as FIDE’s interim president following Dvorkovich’s withdrawal from the presidential race. He subsequently joined Turlov’s ticket as the candidate for Deputy President. FIDE’s official election documents list Anand in that position.
Turlov’s victory therefore marks both a generational change at the top of FIDE and the return of Anand to the federation’s elected leadership.
♟ Timur Turlov (@TurlovforChess) was elected President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The elections were held on 26 September at the FIDE General Assembly, alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Turlov won in the second round, with 110 votes.… pic.twitter.com/CVKs89jw1E
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) September 26, 2026
READ: Turlov Falls One Vote Short as FIDE Election Goes to Round 2
Russia and governance remain key issues
The election also took place against the backdrop of continuing debate over Russia’s place in international chess and the governance of FIDE.
Turlov had publicly said before the election that FIDE should comply with international sports rulings, including the Court of Arbitration for Sport decision affecting Russian participation. He also argued that Ukraine should have a stronger voice within the federation.
The new leadership will also inherit unresolved membership and governance questions. The FIDE General Assembly agenda included consideration of the suspended Russian and Rwandan federations as well as proposed changes to FIDE’s Charter and Electoral Rules.
Turlov now takes charge of FIDE at a time when the federation is seeking to expand chess participation globally while navigating questions over commercial influence, governance, technology and the continuing geopolitical divisions within international sport.
With Anand as his deputy, the new Turlov-led administration begins its four-year term with a combination of financial firepower, chess expertise and an explicitly modernisation-focused agenda.
