AL AIN, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — The Asian Chess Federation (ACF) has released a report highlighting a substantial increase in the number of players and officials in the UAE and across Asia as of January 2026.
Hisham Al Taher, Secretary-General of the ACF, stated that the UAE now has 3,745 registered players, consisting of 2,461 males and 1,284 females. Among these, 590 players are internationally rated, with 163 currently classified as active internationally rated players.
The report also detailed the UAE’s officiating strength, which includes 44 international arbiters (34 men and 10 women), 20 FIDE-rated arbiters, and 67 national arbiters.
Across the continent, the total number of registered players has reached 631,964. The statistics show that 161,006 players in Asia hold FIDE ratings, while the number of active internationally rated players stands at 50,495.
Al Taher noted that the technical workforce across Asia has expanded to include 1,685 international arbiters and 7,026 national arbiters. He reaffirmed that the ACF is continuing its collaboration with FIDE to qualify more organisers and coaches, further establishing the continent as a leading global hub for the sport.
Source: Emirates News Agency