Chess Legend Viswanathan Anand Becomes FIDE Interim President

Exam-focused facts from the 26 July 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Viswanathan Anand assumed the role of Interim President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) on July 24, 2026.
He took over after incumbent President Arkady Dvorkovich suspended his duties due to sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU).
Anand had been serving as FIDE Deputy President since 2022 and had earlier opted not to contest for the post again.
The interim term is expected to last for two months until the FIDE elections are held during the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
The deadline for candidate nominations for the FIDE presidential election is July 26, 2026.
As Interim President, Anand is likely to preside over the decision to award hosting rights for the FIDE World Championship later in 2026.