FIDE Ratings for September 2026: Carlsen No. 1 Again

FIDE September 2026 Rating List Released: Carlsen Remains No. 1, Praggnanandhaa Breaks into the Top 10

FIDE has published its September 2026 rating list. Magnus Carlsen remains at the top of the world rankings, but there have been several notable changes inside the top 10. The biggest story of the month is the spectacular rise of Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who climbed four places and entered the world’s top 10 for the first time.

The September rating list also confirms Hikaru Nakamura’s return to second place, Fabiano Caruana’s drop to third, and significant progress from several young grandmasters. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju remains well outside the top 10.

Carlsen Starts Another Month at the Top

The most important position in the rankings remains unchanged.

Magnus Carlsen retains first place with a rating of 2823 Elo. The Norwegian continues to lead the world despite devoting a significant part of his attention in recent months to competitions beyond classical chess.

Carlsen’s advantage over his closest challenger is 31 points, meaning there is currently no immediate threat to his No. 1 position.

The September list once again highlights just how unique Carlsen’s position is in modern chess. Even after several years away from the classical World Championship cycle, he remains the benchmark at the top of the world rankings.

Nakamura Returns to Second Place

One of the biggest changes near the top of the table is Hikaru Nakamura’s return to second place.

The American grandmaster has retained his 2792 rating but moved up from third after Fabiano Caruana’s rating decline. Nakamura is now once again Carlsen’s closest challenger.

Interestingly, like Carlsen, Nakamura has been highly active in rapid and online chess competitions in 2026. Nevertheless, his classical rating remains high enough to keep him firmly among the absolute elite of world chess.

Caruana Drops to Third

Fabiano Caruana lost several rating points and moved from second to third place.

He now has 2789 Elo, compared with Nakamura’s 2792. The decline is primarily connected with his results in recent classical competitions, including his performance at the Sinquefield Cup.

The gap between the two Americans is just three points. As a result, the battle for second place in the next rating lists could be extremely close.

Sindarov Remains One of the Leading Players of the New Generation

Fourth place belongs to Javokhir Sindarov, who has a rating of 2778 Elo.

The Uzbek grandmaster continues to establish himself among the strongest chess players in the world. His presence alongside Carlsen, Nakamura and Caruana is particularly significant: the new generation is increasingly challenging players from the previous era for positions near the top of the rankings.

Sindarov has long been regarded as one of the most promising players of his generation. His position in the September rankings confirms that he is no longer simply a prospect — he has become an established member of the world elite.

Wesley So Makes One of the Biggest Jumps

Wesley So has moved up to fifth place.

The American has a rating of 2774 Elo, gaining nine points and climbing from sixth. This is one of the most impressive positive moves among the players in the top 10.

So has once again moved closer to the 2800 mark, traditionally regarded as one of the most prestigious milestones in modern chess.

Keymer Loses Ground

For Vincent Keymer, however, September was less successful.

The German grandmaster dropped from fifth to sixth place and lost three rating points. His new rating is 2764 Elo.

Despite the small decline, Keymer remains one of the youngest players in the world’s top 10 and is still within striking distance of the 2800 level.

Abdusattorov Moves Up to Seventh

Nodirbek Abdusattorov occupies seventh place with a rating of 2762.

The Uzbek grandmaster climbed one position. His progress is particularly interesting given the recent success of Uzbek chess as a whole.

Abdusattorov has already won the World Rapid Championship and regularly competes with the strongest players in classical chess. He is now back near the top of the rankings, where every position can be decided by just a few rating points.

Praggnanandhaa Enters the World Top 10 for the First Time

The biggest headline of the September rating list is Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa.

The Indian grandmaster jumped from 12th to 8th place, gaining 11 rating points and reaching 2761.

This means that Praggnanandhaa has entered the top 10 of the classical world rankings for the first time.

For Indian chess, this is another important sign of the depth of the country’s chess system. India has been consistently producing young players capable of competing at the highest level, and Praggnanandhaa has now officially established himself among the ten strongest chess players in the world.

His progress is particularly impressive considering that, not long ago, Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi were viewed as the leading young faces of Indian chess.

Arjun Erigaisi Holds Ninth Place

Arjun Erigaisi remains ninth in the world with a rating of 2759.

In his case, the September list brought almost no changes. The Indian grandmaster retained his position and remains in the top 10 for a second consecutive month.

As a result, India now has two representatives in the world’s top 10 — Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi.

This is an important indicator not only of the individual progress of these players but also of the overall strength of Indian chess.

Anish Giri Completes the Top 10

Anish Giri occupies tenth place with a rating of 2757.

For the Dutch grandmaster, September was less successful. He lost seven points and dropped from seventh to tenth place.

Giri nevertheless retained his position in the top 10, although he is now part of an extremely tight group of players. Just one point separates him from Alireza Firouzja, who is ranked 11th.

FIDE Top 15 in September 2026

The data corresponds to the FIDE rating list published on September 1, 2026.

Gukesh Is Second Among Juniors but Only 31st in the World

Particular attention should be paid to the position of reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.

His classical rating is 2703, which puts him 31st in the overall world rankings. Among players under the age of 21, however, Gukesh is ranked second.

The No. 1 junior is Turkish talent Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş, rated 2716 Elo.

This creates a remarkable situation: the reigning world champion is currently only in the fourth decade of the overall rankings, while several of his fellow Indians are ranked significantly higher.

However, a rating reflects results over a specific period and is not a direct measure of a player’s current status as world champion. Gukesh remains one of the leading players of his generation and could quickly climb the rankings with a strong run of tournament results.

India Continues to Strengthen Its Position

The September rating list is particularly important for India.

The top 10 now includes two Indian grandmasters — Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi. In addition, a large group of Indian players is present inside the world’s top 100.

The junior rankings are even more impressive: India has 17 players in the world’s top 100 among players under 21.

This demonstrates that the success of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi is not a coincidence. Indian chess continues to produce a new generation of players capable of competing at the highest level.

What About the Women’s Rankings?

There are relatively few changes at the top of the women’s rankings.

Hou Yifan remains in first place with a rating of 2596.

Reigning world champion Ju Wenjun has moved into second place with 2553, followed by Lei Tingjie on 2552. Zhu Jiner is fourth with 2550.

The top 10 also includes Bibisara Assaubayeva, Tan Zhongyi, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Anna Muzychuk, Humpy Koneru and Polina Shuvalova.

Chinese women continue to dominate the upper part of the world rankings, although players from other countries are gradually closing the gap.

United States Remains the Strongest Chess Federation

The federation rankings are also worth noting.

Based on the average rating of the top 10 players, the United States leads the world with 2725.

India is second with 2705, while China is third with 2664. They are followed by Russia, Germany, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and France.

Germany’s position is particularly notable: the federation ranks fifth with an average of 2629.

India, meanwhile, continues to rapidly reduce the gap with the United States. Given the age of many of India’s leading players, this rivalry could become one of the defining storylines in world chess over the coming years.

Why Is the September Rating List So Important?

The FIDE rating list is more than just a table of numbers. It provides a snapshot of how the balance of power in world chess is changing.

September 2026 revealed several important trends.

First, Carlsen continues to hold absolute leadership. Second, Nakamura has returned to second place, taking advantage of Caruana’s rating decline. Third, the younger generation continues its advance: Sindarov, Keymer, Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi are now all established among the world’s strongest players.

Praggnanandhaa’s arrival in the top 10 is particularly symbolic. The Indian grandmaster has joined Erigaisi and confirmed that Indian chess currently has several players capable of competing at the highest level.

What Could Change in October?

The most interesting part is that the September rankings are far from the final word.

The gap between second and third place is just three points. The competition within the top 10 is also extremely tight, meaning that several successful games could immediately change the order.

Praggnanandhaa will be one of the players to watch closely. After breaking into the top 10, he will now have to defend his new rating while attempting to move closer to the 2800 mark.

Gukesh will also be a major point of interest. The world champion is currently well below his leading Indian rivals in the rankings, but a series of strong performances could quickly return him to the world elite.

And above everyone else, Magnus Carlsen remains at the top.

Conclusion

The September 2026 FIDE rating list provides another clear indication that a generational shift is taking place in world chess.

Carlsen remains No. 1 and continues to set the standard for everyone else. Nakamura has returned to second, Caruana has slipped to third, while Sindarov, Abdusattorov, Keymer and Praggnanandhaa continue to strengthen their positions among the strongest players on the planet.

The biggest story of the month, however, is Praggnanandhaa’s debut in the world top 10. India now has two players among the ten strongest chess players in the world, while another representative of the new generation — Gukesh — remains the leading junior.

World chess is becoming younger and more competitive. And if a few years ago the main question was who could get close to Carlsen, the question now is different:

Which member of the new generation will be the first to seriously challenge the Norwegian’s long-standing dominance?

The September rating list offers one clear conclusion: the number of serious contenders is growing.