Pouya Idani Changes Federation from Iran to France
Pouya Idani, an Iranian-born grandmaster, has officially switched federations and will now represent France. The 30-year-old has been residing in Brest since 2023 and is now listed under the French flag in the latest FIDE rankings.
Idani holds a classical rating of 2615, placing him fourth among active grandmasters in France, following Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Etienne Bacrot. He has a notable history in chess, having been a runner-up at the World Under-16 Championship in 2011 and winning the World Under-18 title in 2013.
His decision to switch federations is influenced by his long-term plans to remain in France, where he has a residence permit and intends to apply for citizenship. Idani's departure from the Iranian federation was also motivated by unmet promises and unpaid bonuses. Although he has switched federations, he will not compete for France at the upcoming Olympiad in Samarkand, as the team had already been selected prior to his federation change.
