LONDON, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On 15 September this year, the 46th World Chess Olympiad will start at the Silk Road international tourism centre in Samarkand. In the history of the prestigious competition, held since 1927, Central Asia will host the chess world's largest team tournament for the first time.
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Teaser
A total of 398 teams will compete: 208 in the men's (Open) section and 190 in the women's section. This will break the record of 380 teams set in Budapest in 2024. The competition will consist of 11 rounds and run until 27 September.
From 10 to 18 September, Samarkand will also host the 3rd Chess Paralympiad. 41 teams will take part — the highest figure in its history.
Held in historic Samarkand, a city on the UNESCO World Heritage List and one of the key crossroads of the Great Silk Road, the competition combines sport with a platform for cultural diplomacy and international dialogue.
According to the teams' average rating, the United States is seeded first in the men's (Open) section. Reigning champion India is seeded second, and Uzbekistan third.
The Uzbekistan line-ups reflect the emergence of a new generation of Uzbek chess. In particular, Nilufarkhon Imomkuziyeva and Khumoyun Begmurodov, both aged 16, will make their Olympiad debut.
In the Uzbekistan men's team, Javokhir Sindarov (4th), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (7th), Nodirbek Yakubboev (39th) and Shamsiddin Vokhidov (61st) are among the world's 100 strongest players. That Sindarov and Abdusattorov are among the world's ten strongest clearly demonstrates the competitiveness of the Uzbek chess school.
Compared with 2025, the Uzbekistan men's team has risen 15 places in the FIDE ranking among 204 countries to sixth. The women's team has risen 17 places to 21st.
Alongside the Olympiad, the 97th FIDE Congress will take place in Samarkand from 19 to 28 September. It will also include the FIDE presidential election.
The Olympiad will be another important stage for Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov. Eight weeks after the Olympiad ends, he will face reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the world chess crown. Both will be 20 at the start of the match, scheduled for Geneva from 22 November to 13 December.
Hosting the 46th World Chess Olympiad, the 3rd Chess Paralympiad and the FIDE Congress simultaneously demonstrates Uzbekistan's capacity to organise major international sporting and intellectual events at a high level.
Full details on the official tournament website: chessolympiad2026.fide.com
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Samarkand to Host the Largest Chess Olympiad in History
Samarkand to Host the Largest Chess Olympiad in History
ATLANTA, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on its RDK Video Accelerator set-top box (STB) based on the Broadcom BCM74116, Sercomm (TWSE: 5388), a leading provider of telecom and broadband equipment, is collaborating with Broadcom to make the device available as reference hardware for application developers, and will serve as a YouTube reference device. Designed for application development, validation, and testing on RDK, the solution provides a high-performance foundation for next-generation video entertainment, interactive TV experiences, cloud gaming, and AI-enabled services.
"Continuing our strong collaboration with Broadcom to deliver open-environments, we are pleased to make this reference device available to support the RDK application developer community," said Daniel Whalen, Chief Commercial Officer of Sercomm. "By providing a dedicated open-environment for development and testing, we aim to help accelerate application validation and enable a smoother path toward deployment on RDK-based consumer devices. For service providers, the STB combines LPDDR5 memory, edge AI capabilities, and the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies, providing a flexible foundation for integration into their products and services."
"The Sercomm 74116 platform is a highly integrated 4K streaming receiver equipped with advanced Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 antennas. It boasts a robust suite of next-generation features, including a neural processing unit for edge AI applications, Matter and Thread compatibility for seamless smart home connectivity, and Post-Quantum Cryptography to safeguard digital assets and user privacy. Additionally, the platform supports intelligent super scaling, multi-view displays, and both Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR) video and graphics to deliver an enhanced viewing experience, said Lewis Brewster, Vice President of Marketing, Wireless Broadband Communication, Broadcom. "By collaborating with Sercomm on an RDK video accelerator, the Sercomm 74116 platform delivers a robust, scalable solution to the developer community and the operator market."
RDK open-source software standardizes many of the core functions used in broadband and video devices. By standardizing these core functions, service providers can develop and deploy a consistent set of applications and services across geographies, hardware, SoC suppliers, and video and broadband access networks (GPON, DOCSIS, DSL, and fixed wireless). RDK enables service providers to manage their devices; control their own UI/UX and app experiences; and harmonize device telemetry and analytics to improve the customer experience and business results.
For video, RDK standardizes core enabling functions like audio/video playback, conditional access, DRM, networking, captions, emergency alerts, voice control, telemetry, and more across a wide range of hardware. It is designed to streamline operators' ability to develop, test and deploy video services and apps across silicon and device manufacturers.
"Sercomm has been an active and committed member of the RDK community for many years, and making this device available as reference hardware is a natural extension of that contribution," said Jason Briggs, President and GM of RDK. "Ready access to current, high-performance hardware removes a real barrier for developers who want to build, test, and validate applications on RDK. The whole community benefits when that path is easier, from application developers and silicon and device partners through to the service providers bringing new video experiences to their customers."
About Sercomm
Founded in 1992, Sercomm (TWSE: 5388) is a global leader in providing integrated networking and telecom solutions. Partnering with the world's top service providers, system integrators, and leading technology companies, Sercomm's expertise in designing and manufacturing innovative, customized solutions makes embedding connectivity more accessible across the globe.
For more information, please visit https://www.sercomm.com/
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Sercomm Makes RDK Set-Top Box Available as Reference Hardware
