Egyptian chess is enjoying one of the most successful periods in its modern history.
On the board, Egypt’s leading players are winning medals, earning international recognition and securing places on the biggest stages in world chess.
Off the board, the country is strengthening its reputation as a trusted organiser of elite events, with Cairo recently hosting one of the largest youth chess tournaments ever staged in the Arab world.
With the national team continuing to shine on the African stage, the spotlight then turned to the Arab Junior and Youth Chess Championships on home soil, where the next generation of the region’s brightest talents gathered to compete.
By the end of the tournament, Egypt had once again proven to be the strongest team. The hosts finished at the top of the medal table with 34 medals — 16 gold, eight silver and 10 bronze — after competing against more than 350 players from 16 Arab countries.
Successful host
Egyptian Chess Federation president Mokhtar Amara praised both the organisation of the championships and the performances of the national team.
He said the tournament had been a success on every level, both technically and organisationally, adding that the positive feedback from participating delegations reflected Egypt’s ability to stage major international events.
Amara commended the players’ outstanding performances, saying they had once again continued Egypt’s tradition of success at Arab, continental and international tournaments.
Official praise
Minister of Youth and Sports Gohar Nabil congratulated the Chess Federation, the coaching and administrative staff, and the men’s and women’s national teams after Egypt topped the Arab championship medal standings.
Nabil praised the players for their determination and strong performances throughout the tournament.
Regional gathering
The championships brought together national teams from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Oman, Palestine, Syria and hosts Egypt.
Continental momentum
Egypt heads into the event full of confidence after a strong showing at the 2026 African Individual Chess Championship in Botswana.
The national team claimed four medals and secured World Cup places.
Shahinda Wafa spearheaded the Egyptian challenge, producing a composed display to capture gold in the women’s classical event and secure qualification for the Women’s World Cup.
Shorouk Wafa also shone, taking gold in rapid and silver in classical chess as Egyptian women’s chess continues to rise.
Grandmaster Bassem Amin proved his quality once again, winning silver in the men’s classical competition to strengthen his place among Africa’s leading players.
Future focus
After strong results in Arab and African competitions, Egypt’s national team is now turning its attention to the 2026 World Junior Championship in October.
The team will look to build on its recent success and strengthen its place among the Arab world’s leading chess nations.
