The 46th Olympiad in Samarkand will be the largest ever. Four hundred teams across both competitions beat Budapest's 2024 record by twenty squads. The Open draws 208 teams, the Women's event 192.
The seedings reveal predictable heavyweights at the top. The United States leads the Open bracket, with defending champion India second and host nation Uzbekistan third. China and Germany round out the top five. India gets the Women's favorite slot, ahead of Georgia, China, Kazakhstan, and the United States.
Play runs eleven rounds from September 16 to 27, with the opening ceremony on September 15. That schedule is standard for the Olympiad format, though the record participation means logistics will test Samarkand's infrastructure.
The field mix tells the story. World Champions are present, established powerhouses show up with their strongest rosters, and young stars get their shots. India's defending title puts them under pressure despite top seeding in the Women's event. The United States' Open ranking as favorite is notable, as is the consistent presence of China and Georgia across both competitions.
Uzbekistan hosting gives them home advantage that could matter in a close match. With eleven rounds and 400 teams, the tournament structure will separate pretenders from genuine contenders quickly. Every point counts when fields this large are competing for medals.