FIDE Rankings: Sindarov 4th, Two Uzbek Chess Players in Top 10

The International Chess Federation's new rating list as of August 1, 2026, showcased another historic milestone for Uzbek chess. Javokhir Sindarov maintained his position as the world's fourth-ranked player with 2777 Elo points, while Nodirbek Abdusattorov retained his spot in the top ten with 2762 points.

One of the most notable aspects of the new list is that only the USA and Uzbekistan have more than one chess player in the world top 10. While the USA leads with three grandmasters, Uzbekistan stands among the strongest chess nations in the world with two representatives.

Sindarov among Carlsen's pursuers

Javokhir Sindarov's classical chess rating reached 2777 points. The Uzbek grandmaster maintained 4th place, positioned behind Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura.

Rating leader Magnus Carlsen has 2823 points. Sindarov is separated from the Norwegian player by 46 points, and from second and third-placed Caruana and Nakamura by just 15 points.

In the July rankings, Sindarov was also fourth with 2777 points, and Abdusattorov was sixth with 2766 points. Thus, Javokhir's position remained unchanged, while Nodirbek lost four rating points.

Sindarov is not only Uzbekistan's number one chess player but is currently one of the strongest Asian grandmasters in the world rankings.

Abdusattorov drops two spots

Nodirbek Abdusattorov took 8th place in the August rankings with 2762 Elo points. He lost four points compared to last month and dropped two positions.

As a result of Abdusattorov's drop, American Wesley So and Netherlands representative Anish Giri each moved up one spot:

• Wesley So — 2765 points, 6th place;

• Anish Giri — 2764 points, 7th place;

• Nodirbek Abdusattorov — 2762 points, 8th place.

Nevertheless, the 21-year-old Uzbek grandmaster remains among the top ten chess players in the world. The rating gap between Javokhir and Nodirbek is currently 15 points.

World's Top Ten Chess Players

Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura have the same rating — 2792 points. However, in the official list, Caruana is placed second and Nakamura third.

France's Alireza Firouzja recorded one of the most significant jumps: adding eight rating points, he climbed two spots and returned to the top ten.

A historic match awaits Javokhir ahead

Sindarov became the world's fourth-ranked player for the first time in his career in the June 2026 rating list. FIDE recorded this result at the time as a personal record for the Uzbek grandmaster.

Now the biggest test of Javokhir's career awaits him. He won the 2026 Candidates Tournament and earned the right to play for the chess crown against reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.

According to FIDE, the world championship match will be held from November 25 to December 15 in Geneva, Switzerland. The encounter between 20-year-old Gukesh and Sindarov will be the youngest world championship match in chess history.

Uzbekistan has become a major force in world chess

Having two Uzbek chess players in the world top 10 simultaneously is no coincidence. Sindarov and Abdusattorov are no longer just promising youngsters — they are grandmasters competing on equal terms with Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura, and other stars in elite tournaments.

Javokhir maintaining 4th place in the August rankings and Nodirbek remaining in the top 10 despite a slight drop demonstrate the high-level stability of Uzbek chess.

Now the main intrigue is: can Sindarov approach the historic 2800 point threshold, and how quickly will Abdusattorov reclaim his lost positions?

In your opinion, which Uzbek chess player will become the main challenger to Magnus Carlsen in the near future? Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!