Gukesh claimed the world crown in 2024 after defeating Ding Liren in a closely fought match in Singapore. At just 18, he became the youngest undisputed world champion in chess history. Now, he returns to defend his title against Sindarov.
The Rich History Behind the Venue.
The world championship will take place in an extraordinary setting: Fondation Martin Bodmer in Cologny, near Geneva. It is half library, half museum. The match is scheduled to run from November 22 to December 12, with the first game on November 24.
Martin Bodmer was born in Zurich in 1899 into a family of silk manufacturers and collectors. He was still a teenager when he bought his first book: an illustrated edition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It cost 30 Swiss francs, but Bodmer had only 29. The bookseller let him take it anyway, with a reminder that he still owed a franc.
That small debt marked the beginning of a collection that would occupy Bodmer for the rest of his life. He wanted to assemble the great works that had influenced civilisation, from literature and religion to science and philosophy. He sought out texts as close to their originals as possible, building a collection around five writers he regarded as pillars of world literature: Homer (The presumed author of The Odyssey), the authors of the Bible, Dante, Shakespeare and Goethe.
During the Second World War, he worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva and helped develop a program to provide reading materials to prisoners of war. The effort gathered and distributed around 1.5 million books, including educational texts and university courses.
After the war, Bodmer moved his library from Zurich to Cologny. His collection continued to grow. However, after the Nazis rose to power, the library was shut down, and Martin later (in 1971) donated it to a foundation established to preserve and develop the collection for the public. The current museum was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta and opened in 2003.
The design reflects the museum’s unusual challenge: books and manuscripts are made to be handled, but many are too fragile to touch or expose to light for long. Display cases regulate temperature and humidity, while lighting systems limit exposure for sensitive works. Special supports help protect open books from pressure and distortion.
Fun fact: to pay for the new building, the foundation sold a drawing by the legendary artist Michelangelo. The sale financed the museum and helped transform Bodmer’s private library into a place where the public could encounter its treasures. What a beautiful full-circle moment when art, culture and history come together, and one masterpiece helps open the door to many others.
Today, the Fondation Martin Bodmer houses more than 150,000 documents. Its collection spans ancient papyri, medieval manuscripts, and rare books.
The library, the Bibliotheca Bodmeriana, is listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
For a world championship, it offers an almost poetic setting: a meeting place built around the enduring power of human thought, philosophy and almost 1.5 million pieces of evidence of how magnificent the human mind truly is.
Prize Fund For the Crown
The prize fund for the World Chess Championship 2026 is US$2.5 million. Under FIDE’s rules, each player receives US$200,000 for every game they win, with the remaining amount split equally between them.
What's Coming Ahead
Gukesh’s next challenger, Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, earned his place by winning the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 in Cyprus. He clinched first place with a round to spare, drawing Anish Giri in the decisive game and finishing the tournament unbeaten with 10 points from 14 games. Both players will be 20 when the match begins, making it the youngest World Championship contest yet.
Who will claim the crown?
Will Gukesh defend his title, or will Sindarov become the new world champion? With two young grandmasters facing off, the match promises plenty. Who are you rooting for?
