The President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Arkady Dvorkovich, and the General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Aref Hamad Al Awani, have signed the Agreement on hosting and organizing the 47th Chess Olympiad, the 4th Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities, and the 98th FIDE Congress.

In December 2023, it was announced that the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, had won the bid for the organization of the 47th Chess Olympiad, which will take place in 2028. In the FIDE Council meeting on December 17, 2023, Abu Dhabi won the bid with 96 votes, ahead of the bid from Genoa (Italy), which got 60 votes.

The 47th Chess Olympiad is scheduled to take place between October 28 and November 11, 2028, at the world-class Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, the largest venue in the Middle East, with 154,678 m2 available for the event. The total proposed budget for the Olympiad is 15,300,000 Euros, while the budget for the Olympiad for People with Disabilities is 1,250,000 Euros.

In their bid, the UAE emphasized the country’s increasing role as a global hub for major international and sports events and noted the Olympiad’s importance in promoting chess in the region. It was pointed out that the UAE already has a well-established chess community made up of players, clubs, and prominent chess coaches, and that it hosts several notable events, including The President’s Cup, the Dubai Open, the Sharjah Women’s Cup, and the Abu Dhabi Open.

“The signing of this Agreement is a formal but important step. The UAE lies in a convenient geographical location and has the amenities and the experience in organizing large events. Now, work can begin on preparing for the 47th Olympiad and doing everything needed to make this a truly memorable successful event,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said in a statement.

“We have good experience with our partner from the UAE and we have every faith that the organization of the Olympiad will be executed to the highest standard, like other events which the country has hosted,“ Dvorkovich added.

This will be the second time the Emirates will be hosting a Chess Olympiad. The country was host for the first time in 1986, for the 27th Chess Olympiad. Held in Dubai, that Olympiad is often regarded as one of the best-organized in chess history.