Pakistan boycotts Israel, forfeits 4-0 in opening round of Samarkand Chess Olympiad

Pakistan refused to play Israel in the opening round of the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday, handing Israel a 4-0 victory by walkover. The decision left the match in the Open section awarded to Israel without play.

The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) said the refusal was taken in line with the country’s policy towards Israel and 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. 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 fixture had been scheduled for Wednesday as part of the opening round of the biennial event. Pakistan did not field any players for the scheduled match, leaving all four boards unplayed in the Open section.

A social media post reported from the venue showed Pakistan’s non-appearance; the tweet read: "Team Pakistan gives walkover to team Israel in the first round of the @FIDE_chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand.The whole Pakistani team didn’t show up and gave away the full match point. pic.twitter.com/zVOVr5TtXN— Aditya Sur Roy (@adityasurroy21) September 16, 2026"

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, and brings national teams from around the world.

The walkover registers as a full 4-0 match win for Israel in the opening round as the Olympiad continues through September 27.