Vishy Anand just became the second-highest executive at world chess. The five-time world champion will serve as Deputy President of FIDE for the 2026-2030 term, under newly elected President Timur Turlov of Kazakhstan.
This is a significant structural shift. Anand moves from the playing world into governance at the exact moment when his influence on the game itself is fading. He no longer competes at the elite level. He no longer fights for world championships. Now he shapes how the entire sport operates.
The FIDE Council elected at the General Assembly in Samarkand also includes four Vice Presidents. Yuhua Xu of China, Michael Khodarkovsky of the USA, Pavel Kolobkov of Russia, and Yassin Souleiman Hassan of Djibouti round out the elected leadership. Turlov then nominated five additional members, including Luigi Maggi of Italy as Treasurer and Bouchra Kadiri of Morocco as Secretary.
Anand's appointment matters for several reasons. First, he carries legitimacy that few executives in chess can claim. Players respect him. Journalists know him. He has been inside elite chess competition for over three decades. When Anand speaks about how chess should develop, the sport listens.
Second, his presence on the Council suggests FIDE wants continuity and credibility after years of governance disputes. Arkady Dvorkovich served as President from 2018 to 2024. Before him came the controversial tenure of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Anand brings none of that baggage. He ran for Vice President in 2022 and won. Players voted for him then. They voted for him again.
Third, the Council composition reflects a deliberate geographical balance. Russia, China, the United States, India, Morocco, Italy, Azerbaijan, and Djibouti all hold seats now. This matters because chess has become genuinely global. The days when Moscow and Eastern Europe controlled the game are over. The Council reflects that reality.
But the Council also faces real tests in the next four years. The World Championship cycle needs reform. Players complain about the match format. The classical time control remains the gold standard, but rapid and blitz events now generate massive viewership and sponsorship money. FIDE must decide how much the federation cares about each format.
Prize funds remain another flashpoint. Top players earn money from sponsors and appearance fees, not from FIDE itself. This creates incentives to skip federation events and focus on private tournaments. Magnus Carlsen has largely opted out of the classical World Championship cycle. Gukesh and other rising players pursue eight-figure deals elsewhere. FIDE controls the title but not the top players' time.
The federation also oversees women's chess, youth development, and digital chess. The pandemic accelerated online competition. Chess.com and Lichess now host more games than ever before. FIDE's role in regulating and promoting digital chess remains undefined.
Anand will be Turlov's number two in all these conversations. He will help set strategy for women's initiatives, probably an area where his influence could prove substantial. He will advise on how FIDE engages with the private chess boom. He will help decide whether FIDE becomes a modern sports federation or remains trapped in bureaucratic procedures from the Soviet era.
The four elected Vice Presidents bring different constituencies. Xu represents the Chinese chess federation, which has invested heavily in player development and is now challenging India for dominance in junior chess. Khodarkovsky brings American chess connections and capital. Kolobkov represents Russian chess despite Russia's marginalized position in international federation politics following the Ukraine invasion. Hassan brings African voices to a body that has historically ignored the continent.
This Council takes over in 2026. That gives them time before the next World Championship cycle really accelerates. They inherit a sport that is booming at the grassroots level, growing in sponsorship, but struggling to integrate classical chess with the explosion of rapid and online play.
Anand's job is partly to mediate between the traditional chess establishment and the new money flowing into the game. He knows the classical game intimately. He also understands that chess fans and sponsors care about entertainment and accessibility now, not just titles and ratings. Whether he can bridge that gap will define his tenure as Deputy President.