Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has secured his place in the World Chess Championship by winning the Candidates Tournament in Peyia, Cyprus, with a round still to play. The 20-year-old clinched the title by drawing with Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri, finishing on 9.5 points — two clear of Giri in second place on 7.5. Sindarov will now face the reigning world champion, India's Gukesh Dommaraju, in a title match later this year, the date and venue for which have yet to be announced.

Sindarov's performance across the 14-round Candidates Tournament — a qualifying event that determines who challenges the reigning champion — was historically dominant. He won six of his 13 games and suffered no defeats, a record unmatched in the event's modern format. His closest rival, Giri, needed to beat Sindarov in their head-to-head game to stay in contention but was unable to convert a promising position with the white pieces, settling for a draw. The tournament's other high-profile contenders, Americans Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, never mounted a serious challenge.