Olympiad Without Carlsen: Which Other Stars Will Miss Samarkand?

The Chess Olympiad in Samarkand is expected to take place without world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Aryan Tari and Jon Ludvig Hammer, who were included in Norway’s preliminary spring roster, are also reportedly set to miss the event.

The simultaneous withdrawal of three leading grandmasters will seriously affect Norway’s medal chances. In addition to Carlsen, several other famous chess players will also miss the Olympiad in Samarkand.

Norway Will Become a Completely Different Team Without Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen is not merely Norway’s top-ranked chess player. He is the team’s main force on board one, a leader who puts psychological pressure on opponents and a player who brings global attention to the national team.

Carlsen has represented Norway at eight Chess Olympiads since 2004. However, despite having the world’s strongest player in their lineup, the Norwegians have yet to win a team medal at the Olympiad.

The absence of Aryan Tari and Jon Ludvig Hammer will weaken Norway’s chances on the middle boards. One superstar alone is not enough at the Olympiad, but losing three leaders at the same time can completely change the balance of the lineup.

According to updated preliminary calculations, Norway has dropped to 21st place. However, this figure cannot yet be considered the final starting rank: FIDE is expected to publish the official seeding list after the registration process ends.

Conflicting Reports Have Emerged About Norway’s Lineup

Open sources contain conflicting information about Carlsen’s participation. An analysis of the lineups published on July 13 listed him as the leader of Norway’s national team. A later update noted that the federation’s official five-player lineup had not yet been fully confirmed.

That is why the latest reports about Carlsen, Tari and Hammer missing the event represent a significant change. Final clarity will come once the Norwegian Chess Federation or FIDE publishes the official roster.

If Carlsen indeed does not travel to Samarkand, it will be his first absence from an Olympiad since 2018. Norway also competed without him at the 2018 event.

Firouzja and Nakamura Are Also Missing From the Roster

The Olympiad is not only losing Carlsen. Alireza Firouzja has not been included in France’s lineup. The country’s five-player open team consists of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Étienne Bacrot, Maxime Lagarde, Jules Moussard and Marc’Andria Maurizzi. This will be Firouzja’s fifth consecutive Olympiad without representing France.

Hikaru Nakamura is also absent from the United States team. Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Levon Aronian are joined by Olympiad debutants Hans Niemann and Awonder Liang. Leinier Dominguez has also been left out of the five-player lineup, despite having a higher rating than some selected players.

England’s experienced representative David Howell will also not play in Samarkand. Daniel Fernandez has taken his place. Nikita Vitiugov, Michael Adams, Gawain Jones and Luke McShane have also been included in the lineup.

In Azerbaijan, Teimour Radjabov will participate as the team captain rather than as a player. The main lineup includes Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Aydin Suleymanli, Mammad Muradli, Rauf Mamedov and Eltaj Safarli.

Why Is the Absence of One Star So Important?

The Chess Olympiad is a team competition, not an individual event. Four players sit at the boards in each match, while another grandmaster remains in reserve. The tournament is played over 11 rounds using the Swiss system.

In this format, a star on board one can deliver important points, but a medal requires consistent results on all four boards. Having a strong reserve is also decisive: players may be rotated during the tournament because of fatigue, health issues or tactical considerations.

Without Carlsen, Tari and Hammer, Norway’s main burden may fall on Johan-Sebastian Christiansen, Frode Urkedal and the next players in the ratings. Although they are strong grandmasters, they could face difficult rating matchups on every board against the world’s leading teams.

Will These Absences Improve Uzbekistan’s Chances?

The absence of major stars will not lower the level of the tournament, but it may affect the balance of power. Defending champion India will arrive in Samarkand with a powerful lineup consisting of Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi and Nihal Sarin.

Hosts Uzbekistan will also be among the main contenders. The first team will feature Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vohidov and Mukhiddin Madaminov. Most of this lineup won the historic gold medal in Chennai in 2022.

The absence of names such as Carlsen, Nakamura and Firouzja will not make Uzbekistan’s path to the title completely easy. Teams such as the United States, India, China, Germany and Azerbaijan have several highly rated grandmasters rather than just one.

However, playing in front of their home fans, along with a young and well-coordinated lineup and previous Olympiad experience, could give the hosts a significant advantage.

A Historic Olympiad Is Expected in Samarkand

The 46th Chess Olympiad will be held in Samarkand from September 15 to 27, 2026. The open and women’s events will take place simultaneously. FIDE expects Samarkand to surpass the records set at the previous Olympiad in Budapest, which featured 193 open teams and 181 women’s teams.

Carlsen’s absence, along with that of other stars, is a major disappointment for fans. But the Olympiad’s main appeal lies not only in individual names—it brings almost every country in the world together in one hall to compete under their national flags.

In Samarkand, one of the biggest questions will be answered: will teams weakened by the absence of their stars fall back, or will new names emerge as unexpected heroes?

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