The 2026 Candidates Tournament opened Saturday in Madrid, beginning the most important event in chess outside the World Championship. Eight players compete in a double round-robin over three weeks, with the winner earning the right to challenge the world champion.
The field includes Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Hikaru Nakamura, Gukesh Dommaraju, Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Alireza Firouzja, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Seven of the eight are either former Candidates finalists or current top-10 players.
Sindarov, the youngest player in the field at 21, enters as a slight underdog. He has been in excellent form throughout 2026 but has never competed in a Candidates before. His opening preparation has expanded significantly over the past year and he now plays a wider range of systems than he did in 2025.
Abdusattorov, fresh off two major titles in January and March, is the betting favorite. Caruana and Nakamura are experienced Candidates veterans who have been here before. Games begin at 15:00 local time in Madrid. All rounds broadcast live on FIDE's official channel and Chess.com.