ISLAMABAD: The Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) on Wednesday boycotted its match against Israel at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, stating that the federation was acting as per the country’s policy of boycotting Israel at all levels.
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel; therefore, it does not have any relations with Tel Aviv. Islamabad has remained committed to a “just settlement of the Palestinian issue,” and has repeatedly called for a “contiguous Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
Tel Aviv has occupied the West Bank since June 1967 and has continued illegal settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territory. Separately, Israel also launched relentless strikes on Gaza in October 2023 that have killed more than 73,700 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
According to FIDE, the 46th Chess Olympiad is taking place in Uzbekistan, from 15 to 27 September 2026, with around 200 national teams competing across the Open and Women’s sections at the Silk Road International Exhibition Center.
The match between the two sides was awarded to Israel on Wednesday after Pakistan handed the country a 4-0 walkover victory.
According to Chess Federation of Pakistan (CFP) President Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, Pakistan was drafted against Israel, which the team consequently boycotted, citing the government’s policy of having no relations with Israel.
In a video message, Naqvi said that Pakistan had boycotted the match to “show solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
Pakistan will play Seychelles in the second round of the tournament on Thursday.