FIDE Chess Olympiad: Pakistan refuses to play Israel, gives 4-0 walkover
Pakistan refused to play Israel in the opening round of the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday, giving its opponents a 4-0 victory by walkover.
Pakistan did not field a single player for the scheduled match, leaving all four boards unplayed in the Open section of the tournament. The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) said the decision was in line with the country's policy towards Israel and was also intended to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.
CFP President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi said Pakistan had a clear and consistent policy regarding Israel and that the federation could not take part in a match that went against the government's position.
"We have boycotted the match to express solidarity with the Palestinian people," Naqvi said. Team Pakistan gives walkover to team Israel in the first round of the @FIDE_chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand.The whole Pakistani team didnβt show up and gave away the full match point. pic.twitter.com/zVOVr5TtXNβ Aditya Sur Roy (@adityasurroy21) September 16, 2026
He added that Pakistan would continue to participate in international sporting events but would respect the Pakistani government's official position on Israel.
The Pakistan-Israel match was scheduled for Wednesday as part of the opening round of the prestigious biennial event. However, Pakistan declined to take part, handing Israel a full 4-0 win without a move being played on any of the four boards.
The 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad is being held in Samarkand from September 15 to 27. The tournament features separate open and women's sections and has more than 390 teams registered across the two competitions.
The Chess Olympiad is one of the biggest events on the international chess calendar, bringing together national teams from across the world.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 16, 2026 19:13 IST
