Arjun Erigaisi becomes the only Indian chess player in the FIDE top 10 after the latest ranking update

Arjun Erigaisi (photo by Yoav Nis) NEW DELHI: Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has climbed back into the world’s top 10 chess players, securing the No. 8 spot in the latest FIDE rankings released for June 2026. With 10 rating points, Erigaisi is now the only Indian player to feature in the top 10 rankings this month. FIDE highlighted its success in announcing the latest ratings.The most recent ranking was influenced by several major tournaments, including Super Chess Classic Romania, TePe Sigeman 2026, Sardinia World Chess Festival and Open International de Lecci. Erigaisi’s performances at these events helped him make a strong comeback among the world’s elite players.The June ratings also saw some significant movement at the top. Magnus Carlsen continues to top the table. US Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana has gained four rating points and returned to the world No. 2 position after more than a year.Another major mover was Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who achieved a career-best ranking of world No.4.One of the key events behind the rise of Erigaisi was the TePe Sigeman & Co chess tournament in Malmö, which brought an exciting conclusion. For most of the tournament, a three-way tie for first place seemed possible.Erigaisi came under pressure against Andy Woodward and looked headed for defeat, but managed to escape with a draw. At the same time, Magnus Carlsen’s match against young talent Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus seemed destined for a draw before the Norwegian star finally found a way to win.This result set up a playoff between Carlsen and Erigaisi. While the Indian grandmaster put up a tough fight, Carlsen eventually emerged victorious.Despite losing the title, Erigaisi’s performances throughout the event proved enough to boost his ranking and return him to the world top 10.