Gligoric Trophy 2026: Call for Nominations Announced

In chess, victory is not only about the result on the scoreboard. Sometimes, what matters far more is how a person behaves at the board, toward their opponent, and toward the game itself. This is precisely the aspect of chess celebrated by the Svetozar Gligoric Trophy, one of FIDE’s most symbolic awards.

On August 11, 2026, FIDE announced the opening of nominations for the Svetozar Gligoric Trophy 2026. The award recognizes a person whose conduct and actions demonstrate the true spirit of fair play, sportsmanship, and respect for opponents.

FIDE: Gligoric Trophy 2026 – Call for Nominations

An Award Not Based on Rating or Number of Wins

The Gligoric Trophy holds a special place among chess awards. A player's rating, number of tournament victories, or overall sporting achievements are not the decisive factors here.

The main criterion is outstanding sportsmanship and a meaningful contribution to the culture of fair play in chess.

For the 2026 award, achievements made between September 2024 and September 2026 will be considered. FIDE identifies several areas in which a candidate may be nominated:

* an outstanding gesture or act demonstrating sportsmanship during a competition;

* a significant contribution to promoting the values and principles of fair play;

* initiatives aimed at strengthening sporting integrity, honesty, and high ethical standards.

Thus, this is not an award for an entire chess career. FIDE specifically emphasizes that the candidate's actions during the designated two-year period will be taken into account.

What Does True Fair Play Mean?

The trophy is named after Svetozar Gligoric, one of the strongest chess players of his generation and a man particularly respected by his contemporaries for his sportsmanship and respect for his opponents.

His famous principle can be expressed very simply: at the chessboard, you play against the pieces, not against the person sitting across from you.

This philosophy lies at the heart of the award.

FIDE associates the Gligoric Trophy with several important values: fairness, respect, friendship, team spirit, equality, tolerance, and consideration for other members of the chess community.

There is an important message behind this. Chess is built around competition, but competition should never eliminate respect. A player can fight for victory until the very last second of a game while still treating the person sitting across the board with dignity.

Who Can Be Nominated?

Nominations may be submitted by continental and national chess federations, as well as FIDE commissions.

However, nominations are not limited to organizations. Individual nominations, including self-nominations, are also permitted, although they must be submitted through the federation associated with the nominee.

This makes the competition relatively open: the eventual recipient does not necessarily have to be a famous grandmaster. It could also be someone whose particular action had a meaningful impact on the chess community.

That is one of the reasons why the Gligoric Trophy is so interesting. In a sense, it serves as a record of chess ethics, reminding us that some of the most important moments in the game never appear in a tournament table.

Nominations Open Until September 10

The organizers have established a clear deadline for submissions. Nomination letters must be sent to the Gligoric Trophy Commission no later than September 10, 2026, at [email protected].

Once the nomination period closes, the winner will be selected by a special FIDE commission.

And that is where the real intrigue begins. The question is not necessarily which candidate is the most famous, but whose actions best represent the spirit of chess, regardless of sporting status.

Why Is This Award Especially Important Today?

Modern chess is becoming increasingly professional. Ratings, prize money, computer preparation, playing speed, and the fight for every single point have become enormously important.

But the higher the level of competition becomes, the more important it is to remember another side of chess.

A player can lose a game and still maintain their dignity. They can refuse to take questionable advantage. They can support an opponent after a devastating mistake. They can speak out against unsportsmanlike conduct or make a decision that places honesty above an immediate competitive benefit.

Such moments rarely change the standings. But they shape the way people perceive chess as a sport.

And this is the true value of the Gligoric Trophy.

Who Will Receive the Gligoric Trophy in 2026?

For now, the answer remains unknown. The nomination process has only just begun, and the chess community still has until September 10 to put forward its candidates.

The award ceremony will take place during the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, which will be one of the major chess events of autumn 2026.

And perhaps that will be where the chess world learns the name of a person who once again proves a simple but important idea: a chess player's strength is measured not only by how well they know how to win, but also by how honorably they know how to play.

The Svetozar Gligoric Trophy is not an award for a brilliant combination or a number on the rating list. It is recognition of an action.

And sometimes, one honest gesture can say far more about a person than hundreds of victories.