FIDE releases August 2026 world chess rating lists

FIDE published its August 2026 rating lists for men and women. Magnus Carlsen of Norway remains the world No. 1, while China's Hou Yifan stays the top‑rated woman. Reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju lost 14 points, dropping to 2703 and to 31st place. A 15‑year‑old Turkish prodigy, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, now leads the under‑20 junior category.

The women's top‑100 list shows Hou Yifan ahead of Lei Tingjie and Ju Wenjun of China, with notable players such as India's Divya Deshmukh, USA’s Carissa Yip and Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze. Recent tournaments—including the Chennai Masters and the Open International d’Aix‑en‑Provence—shifted ratings for Wesley So, Anish Giri, Alireza Firouzja and Ian Nepomniachtchi, among others.