Peter Leko and Peter Svidler to commentate on the Gukesh v. Sindarov Geneva match

by Sagar Shah
11/5/2026 – Peter Leko and Peter Svidler will provide the official commentary for the 2026 FIDE World Championship match between Gukesh Dommaraju and Javokhir Sindarov in Geneva. Leko brings first-hand experience of playing for the world title, while Svidler combines extensive top-level experience with a long-standing reputation as a commentator. Their coverage will accompany the 14-game match, which begins on 24 November at the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny. | Image: FIDE

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The two Peters

If you are going to watch a World Championship, you want the best voices in your ears. FIDE has given us two of them.

On 2 November 2026, FIDE announced on X that GMs Peter Leko and Peter Svidler will be the commentators for the Salesforce FIDE World Championship 2026, where Gukesh Dommaraju will defend his title against Javokhir Sindarov in Geneva. The first game is scheduled to take place on 24 November.

Peter Leko knows what it feels like to sit at that board. In 2004, he played Vladimir Kramnik for the world title in Brissago, the last time Switzerland hosted a World Championship match. Since then, he has become one of the most loved commentators in chess. He is warm, he is honest, and he explains a position so that even a club player can follow it.

Peter Svidler has won the Russian Championship eight times, the first at the age of 18 in 1994. His mix of deep knowledge and dry humour makes even a quiet draw worth watching.

Peter Leko

Peter Leko is also a huge chess fan himself | Photo: Charlotte Chess Center

Peter Svidler

Peter Svidler is an eight-time Russian champion and one of the most appreciated commentators in chess | Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE

The World Championship match is played to the best of 14 classical games, and many of the games are long, slow and full of ideas you can't see at first. Good commentators turn a quiet position into a lesson. With two top grandmasters at the desk, we will get Gukesh's and Sindarov's thinking explained move by move.

The match will be played at the Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, Geneva, and tickets are already on sale. Mark your calendars. See you in Geneva!


In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.



Sagar is an International Master from India with two GM norms. He loves to cover chess tournaments, as that helps him understand and improve at the game he loves so much. He is the co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, the biggest chess news portal in the country. His YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, and to date close to a billion views. ChessBase India is the sole distributor of ChessBase products in India and seven adjoining countries, where the software is available at a 60% discount. compared to International prices.
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