The World Chess Championship has crowned a champion for nearly 140 years, from Wilhelm Steinitz in 1886 to Gukesh Dommaraju today. Below is the complete list of undisputed world champions by year, followed by the split-title era and the records worth knowing. (Reigning champion as of July 2026: Gukesh.)
The complete list of undisputed World Chess Champions
| # | Champion | Country | Reign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilhelm Steinitz | Austria / USA | 1886–1894 |
| 2 | Emanuel Lasker | Germany | 1894–1921 |
| 3 | José Raúl Capablanca | Cuba | 1921–1927 |
| 4 | Alexander Alekhine | Russia / France | 1927–1935, 1937–1946 |
| 5 | Max Euwe | Netherlands | 1935–1937 |
| 6 | Mikhail Botvinnik | Soviet Union | 1948–1957, 1958–1960, 1961–1963 |
| 7 | Vasily Smyslov | Soviet Union | 1957–1958 |
| 8 | Mikhail Tal | Soviet Union | 1960–1961 |
| 9 | Tigran Petrosian | Soviet Union | 1963–1969 |
| 10 | Boris Spassky | Soviet Union | 1969–1972 |
| 11 | Bobby Fischer | USA | 1972–1975 |
| 12 | Anatoly Karpov | Soviet Union | 1975–1985 |
| 13 | Garry Kasparov | Soviet Union / Russia | 1985–2000 |
| 14 | Vladimir Kramnik | Russia | 2000–2007 |
| 15 | Viswanathan Anand | India | 2007–2013 |
| 16 | Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2013–2023 |
| 17 | Ding Liren | China | 2023–2024 |
| 18 | Gukesh Dommaraju | India | 2024–present |
The split-title era (1993–2006)
For thirteen years the championship was divided. In 1993 Kasparov and Nigel Short broke away from FIDE to play under the PCA (Classical) banner, while FIDE ran its own title. The two lines finally reunited in 2006, when Kramnik beat FIDE champion Veselin Topalov in a reunification match.
FIDE World Champions during the split: Anatoly Karpov (1993–1999), Alexander Khalifman (1999–2000), Viswanathan Anand (2000–2002), Ruslan Ponomariov (2002–2004), Rustam Kasimdzhanov (2004–2005), Veselin Topalov (2005–2006).
Classical (PCA) line: Garry Kasparov (1993–2000), then Vladimir Kramnik (2000–2006), who unified the titles in 2006.
Records & milestones
- Longest reign: Emanuel Lasker held the title for 27 years (1894–1921) — a record that still stands.
- Youngest champion: Gukesh Dommaraju, who won in 2024 at 18 years old, becoming the youngest undisputed champion in history (breaking Kasparov’s record of 22, set in 1985).
- First official champion: Wilhelm Steinitz, in the first recognised title match in 1886.
- Longest game in a title match: Carlsen vs Nepomniachtchi, Game 6 of 2021 — 136 moves.
- Champions from India: Anand and Gukesh — a sign of India’s rise into a chess superpower.
Frequently asked questions
Who has held the World Championship the longest? Emanuel Lasker, for 27 years (1894–1921).
Who is the youngest World Chess Champion ever? Gukesh Dommaraju, champion at 18 in December 2024.
How many World Chess Champions have there been? Eighteen undisputed champions from 1886 to today (plus several FIDE champions during the 1993–2006 split).
Who is the current World Chess Champion? Gukesh Dommaraju of India (as of July 2026).
Explore more
Read how the title works and what’s next on the World Chess Championship hub · See how challengers qualify at the Candidates Tournament · Browse full profiles of the champions.
Researched and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Verified against FIDE and Wikipedia · Champions and records current as of July 2026 · Last verified 2026-07-11 · How we verify content.