Reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju is set to return to one of chess’s toughest stages, the Norway Chess 2026, and he’s not hiding his excitement.
Expressing his excitement about the competition, D Gukesh said, “I am really happy to take part in Norway Chess again, fighting against a very strong field as always, and looking forward to all the exciting games.”
The Indian grandmaster arrives in Oslo not just as another contender, but as the youngest undisputed World Champion in the history of chess. That tag alone brings a different level of attention and expectation, especially at a tournament known for stacking the world’s best against each other.
D Gukesh’s Journey to Norway Chess 2026
D Gukesh’s journey to this point has been anything but ordinary. In 2024, he won the Candidates Tournament and went on to defeat Ding Liren to clinch the world title at just 18.
Long before that, he had already started rewriting records. He became a Grandmaster at the age of 12, making him the third-youngest ever, and later crossed the elite 2750 rating mark, a milestone achieved by only a handful of players in their careers.
Read More
His consistency has also been crucial to India’s growing dominance in global chess. At the Chess Olympiad, Gukesh claimed individual gold on board one in 2022 and followed it up with both team gold and another individual gold in 2024.
Gukesh considers Norway Chess to be much more than another event on the Chess world’s calendar; the venue has provided him with a number of his most defining moments as a player.
He not only placed third in Norway Chess 2025, but also gained global notoriety for his spectacular victory against Magnus Carlsen at that event. The intensity of that game, along with the viral ‘slam the table’ incident, made it one of the most talked-about games of the year.
Read More
This victory over Carlsen was significant in that it showed to the world that Gukesh’s rise was imminent and that he was ready to consistently take on the world’s best players.
COO of Norway Chess Speaks About D Gukesh & Indian Chess
D Gukesh’s return as World Champion also reflects a bigger shift. India is no longer an emerging force in chess; it’s already among the strongest nations in the game.
Benedicte Westre Skog, COO of Norway Chess, underlined that impact, stating, “Having Gukesh D return to Norway Chess as reigning World Champion is something we truly value. India has become one of the strongest chess nations in the world today, and we know many fans will be following Gukesh D closely. We hope chess audiences across India will tune in as he competes in Oslo in 2026.”
That growing fan base means D Gukesh won’t just be playing for points. He’ll be carrying the expectations of a country that’s now deeply invested in chess.
Competing as a World Champion changes everything. Every opponent prepares harder, every move is scrutinized more closely, and every result carries extra weight.
Also Read: UzChess Cup 2026: Participants, Format and Everything You Need to Know
