Rook Review prepared a compilation of predictions from elite Grandmasters and content creators for the FIDE World Championship 2026. We collected 18 opinions from various interviews and podcasts since the end of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026.

10 people consider Javokhir Sindarov the favorite in the match. 6 chess players consider the match even, and 2 players named Gukesh Dommaraju the favorite. Magnus Carlsen favors Javokhir and calls him more well-rounded. Hikaru Nakamura believes that Gukesh will win the match and surprise the viewers.

The full table of 18 opinions sorted by date:

Date Person Gukesh Sindarov
14.09.2026 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen - Favors
10.09.2026 🇫🇷 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave 50% 50%
08.09.2026 🇷🇺 Ian Nepomniachtchi 35% 65%
27.08.2026 🇷🇺 Vladislav Artemiev 40% 60%
10.08.2026 🇵🇱 Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Favors
01.08.2026 🇷🇺 Dina Belenkaya 20% 80%
01.08.2026 🇺🇸 Mike Klein 50% 50%
30.07.2026 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Luke McShane - Clear favorite
25.07.2026 🇳🇱 Anish Giri 50% 50%
22.07.2026 🇺🇸 Hans Moke Niemann 50% 50%
17.07.2026 🇷🇺 Aleksandr Shimanov 0% 100%
09.06.2026 🇮🇳 Pravin Thipsay 50% 50%
28.05.2026 🇧🇾 Denis Lazavik Favors -
22.05.2026 🇷🇺 Andrey Esipenko - Clear favorite
21.05.2026 🇦🇷 Faustino Oro - Favors
14.05.2026 🇺🇸 Levy Rozman 45% 55%
01.05.2026 🇩🇪 Vincent Keymer 50% 50%
16.04.2026 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura 100% 0%

The FIDE World Championship 2026 is the crowning match to determine the World Champion. Match features defending Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov, the winner of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026. The match will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from November 22 to December 12.

Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE