The two PetersIf you are going to watch a World Championship, you want the best voices in your ears.
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.
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.
GM Peter Leko and GM Peter Svidler will bring expert analysis, insights, and commentary as 🇮🇳 Gukesh D and 🇺🇿 Javokhir Sindarov battle for the World Championship title.
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.
Master Class Vol.11: Vladimir Kramnik This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y
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 is also a huge chess fan himself | Photo: Charlotte Chess Center
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!
🎙 Meet the commentators for the Salesforce FIDE World Championship 2026! GM Peter Leko and GM Peter Svidler will bring expert analysis, insights, and commentary as 🇮🇳 Gukesh D and 🇺🇿 Javokhir Sindarov battle for the World Championship title. ♟🔥 📍 Geneva, Switzerland 🇨🇭 🗓 Games: November 24 – December 12, 2026 #GukeshSindarov — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) November 2, 2026
