Pakistani chess team forfeits opening match against Israel at chess Olympiad in Samarkand

Pakistan's national chess team forfeited its opening-round match against Israel at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, handing Israel a 4-0 walkover victory. Pakistan Chess Federation President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi stated the forfeit aligned with the country's diplomatic position, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. The team will continue in the tournament. Israel Chess Federation President Dr. Zvika Barkai responded by highlighting upcoming chess events in Jerusalem.

Pakistan's national chess team forfeited its opening-round match against Israel at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The forfeit handed Israel an automatic 4-0 walkover victory across all four boards in the Open section. Pakistan Chess Federation President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi told local media the decision was made to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and aligned with the country's official diplomatic position regarding Israel. Despite the forfeit, the Pakistani team will continue participating in the remaining rounds of the tournament, which runs through September 27. Israel Chess Federation President Dr. Zvika Barkai responded by announcing that Jerusalem will host two major international chess events in November — the Jerusalem International Open and the Jerusalem Masters — bringing players from many countries to Israel. Barkai framed the events as a positive response to the forfeit, emphasizing the goal of showing the positive side of Israel through chess. FIDE did not respond to a request for comment.