Candidates Tournament 2026: India Shines As Four Players In

India just stole the show for the Candidates Tournament 2026, with four players qualifying for both the men’s and women’s categories. That’s full-on domination that has the chess world buzzing. After a year of nail-biting battles in the FIDE Circuit, qualifiers, and national championships, Team India locked in four spots, proving once again why they’re the new powerhouses. From young guns to seasoned warriors, let’s see who qualified.

Indians In Candidates Tournament 2026

R Praggnanandhaa’s Epic Qualification Journey

R Praggnanandhaa, the young sensation, booked his ticket to the Candidates Tournament 2026 as he racked up points in the FIDE Circuit 2025 as the winner, shining in elite events like the Tata Steel and Grand Swiss. Starting as a wildcard hopeful, Pragg clawed through tiebreaks and rating cutoffs, hitting the top four spots. At just 21, he’s the fresh face ready to hunt for that candidate’s glory.

R Vaishali’s Domination

Enter R Vaishali, Pragg’s elder sister, who’s a queen in her own right. Qualifying for the Candidates Tournament 2026 via the FIDE Women’s Circuit, Vaishali dominated with wins at the Asian Women’s Championship and Chennai Grandmasters. She’s here to spice up the women’s Candidates with that family fire.

Divya Deshmukh’s Surprise Entry

Divya Deshmukh, the rising star from Nagpur, qualified for the women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 as the winner of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025. She topped the event ahead of Koneru Humpy and Tan Zhongyi, securing one of the top three spots from that tournament.

Koneru Humpy’s Veteran Clutch

Koneru Humpy, rated 2535 and ranked world No. 6, took the runner-up position at the Women’s World Cup 2025 to qualify for the women’s Candidates Tournament 2026. At 38, she joins Divya and Tan Zhongyi from the World Cup finishers.

India’s four-pack haul means double the cheers at the Candidates Tournament 2026, men’s and women’s fields stacked with desi talent. Pragg, Vaishali, Divya, and Humpy aren’t just qualified; they’re primed to shake the leaderboard. So, stay tuned, chess fans as this is India’s era unfolding!

Also read: FIDE Circuit 2025 Leaderboards: Praggnanandhaa Secures Candidates Spot