Race to the 2028 Candidates: Sindarov Leads FIDE Circuit as Wesley So Surges into Second

The race for the 2028 World Chess Championship is officially underway, and the math is already getting ruthless. Following the summer's premier classical events, 20-year-old Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov sits atop the 2026-2027 FIDE Circuit standings with 93.89 points. But the immediate threat comes from the United States, as Wesley So has vaulted into second place on the back of a signature classical victory.[1]

So currently holds 75.35 Circuit points, a massive leap fueled by his dramatic win at the 2026 Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis. The American grandmaster defeated India's Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu in a tense Armageddon playoff on August 19, after both players finished the classical portion tied at 5.5/9. That single tournament victory netted So a crucial 23.54 points.[2]

Sindarov's lead, by contrast, is built on sheer volume and consistency. His 93.89 points stem from five eligible tournaments, including a double victory at the Naroditsky Memorial in Charlotte earlier this summer. Right behind So in third place is another Uzbek prodigy, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who holds 65.64 points from just four events.[1][5]

The stakes for the FIDE Circuit have never been higher. Under new regulations introduced in January 2026, the Circuit has expanded from an annual sprint to a grueling two-year marathon covering the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The top two finishers at the end of the cycle will secure direct tickets to the 2028 Candidates Tournament.[3][4]

Instead of a single year's results, a player's final score is now calculated from their 12 best tournament performances over the 24-month period. This structural shift rewards players who maintain elite form across multiple formats, including classical, rapid, and blitz events, while punishing those who rely on a single hot streak.[3][4]

The September 1 standings also triggered an immediate, tangible reward. By holding the top three spots at the cutoff, Sindarov, So, and Abdusattorov officially qualified for the inaugural Total Chess pilot event, a new initiative designed to further integrate open tournaments with elite-level competition.[4][5]

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich emphasized the importance of this pathway when the rules were updated. "It is extremely important for FIDE to provide equal competitive opportunities to grandmasters of all levels and to increase the role of sporting merit in selection," Dvorkovich stated. "The new FIDE Open Circuit allows all grandmasters to compete for direct spots in the most prestigious FIDE tournaments."[3]

Lurking just outside the top three is Praggnanandhaa. Despite the playoff loss to So in Saint Louis, the Indian phenom won the overall 2026 Grand Chess Tour, gaining 35 Circuit points across the month of August and rocketing back into the world's top 10 classical ratings.[1][2]

Alireza Firouzja is another major threat to the leaders. Following back-to-back triumphs at the Super Rapid and Blitz Croatia and the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters, the Iran-born Frenchman broke into the top 10 of the Circuit standings with only two eligible events played, giving him massive runway to add points.[5]

With the 46th Chess Olympiad looming in Samarkand later this month, the leaderboard is primed for further disruption. Sindarov and Abdusattorov will lead the host nation's squad on board one and two respectively, while So anchors a formidable United States team. The 12-tournament cap means early leaders cannot afford to coast, as rivals with fewer events played still have ample room to add massive scores to their totals.[1][5]