Gukesh vs Sindarov: All you need to know about world title match

• Reigning world champion D. Gukesh faces Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov in Geneva from 24 November.

• The 14-game classical match carries a US$2.5 million prize fund, with the first player to reach 7.5 points claiming the title.

• Rapid and blitz tie-breaks will decide the championship if the classical score finishes 7-7 on 12 December.

Come 24 November, reigning world champion D. Gukesh will take on challenger Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan in the highly anticipated FIDE World Chess Championship 2026 match in Geneva, Switzerland. The contest will run until 12 December and feature up to 14 classical games, followed by tie-breaks if required.

It was in December 2024 that Gukesh, then 18, defeated reigning champion Ding Liren of China 7.5-6.5 in the 14th and final game to become the youngest-ever world champion. The upcoming battle between the two 20-year-olds will, incidentally, feature the youngest contestants in the history of the men’s World Championship.

The match will be held at the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, Geneva, bringing a World Championship match back to Switzerland for the first time since Brissago in 2004. The official programme opens on 22 November with Media Day and the Opening Ceremony.

FIDE, the world governing body, confirmed the playing conditions earlier this week. Here is a look at the key details.

US$2.5 million prize fund: The prize fund is US$2.5 million, net of any applicable local taxes. Each player receives US$200,000 for every game won, including a win by forfeit, while the remaining balance is divided equally between them. If the final classical score is 7.5-6.5 with 13 decisive games, or 8-6 with all 14 games decisive, the winner will receive US$1.3 million and the runner-up US$1.2 million. The same US$1.3 million-to-US$1.2 million split applies if the match is decided in tie-breaks.

Format: The championship will comprise a maximum of 14 classical games. The first player to reach 7.5 points wins the match and the world title. If the score is tied 7-7 after all 14 games, the champion will be decided through tie-breaks on 12 December.

Point system: A win is worth one point, while a draw earns each player half a point. The match ends as soon as either player reaches 7.5 points.

Time control: Each classical game will allow 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the remainder of the game. A 30-second increment will be added after every move from move 41 onwards.

Rules governing draws: Players cannot agree to a draw before Black’s 40th move. Before that point, a draw can be claimed through the chief arbiter or deputy chief arbiter only in specified circumstances, including threefold repetition or a stalemate position.

What happens if the match goes to tie-breaks?

If the score is tied 7-7 after the classical games, the title will be decided through the following sequence on 12 December:

Rapid play-off: Four games at 15 minutes, with a 10-second increment per move.

Second rapid play-off: If the scores remain level, two games at 10 minutes, with a five-second increment per move.

Blitz play-off: If the tie persists, two games at three minutes, with a two-second increment per move.

Sudden death: If the scores are still level, single three-minute-plus-two-second blitz games will be played, with colours reversed after each drawn game, until there is a decisive result.

Catch it live: The match will be streamed live through FIDE’s official website and streaming channels, including its YouTube channel. The first classical game is scheduled for 24 November, while the 14th and final scheduled game will take place on 11 December. Tie-breaks, if required, will follow on 12 December.