Judit Polgar named Hikaru Nakamura, R Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano Caruana as the main favorites for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026. She highlighted Caruana’s repeated attempts to qualify and his motivation to challenge for the world title again. Polgar also described Praggnanandhaa as “extremely young” and referred to Nakamura as the “old timer” in the upcoming tournament field.

Judit Polgar

Judit Polgar

Hungarian grandmaster, widely regarded as the strongest female chess player of all time

“Of course, the obvious favorites are Hikaru, Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano, I would say, but it depends very much what they are going to show until that point, how their preparation and everything will be working up to that event.

I mean, for Fabiano, he was trying already so many times. He succeeded once, but I see in him that he just wants to reach it again and go for the title again, have the opportunity. But of course, the others will have some saying too on that. I mean, Pragnananda, who is extremely young, we can say, almost half of the age of Fabiano. And of course, the old guy is Hikaru in the event, old timer.”

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 is an eight-player chess tournament to determine the challenger for the FIDE World Chess Championship 2026. The event is scheduled for March 28 to April 16, 2026, at the Cap St Georges Hotel and Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus.

Credit: Crystal Fuller