Esports World Cup announced chess as a new title in the tournament schedule to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 31 to August 3, 2025. The event will feature a massive prize pool of $1.5 million. Magnus Carlsen, one of the greatest chess players in the world, is also joining as the brand ambassador of the Chess Esports World Cup 2025.
On December 17, 2024, the Esports World Cup Foundation announced a partnership with Chess.com to bring one of the world's most popular strategy games to the Esports World Cup 2025.
Esports organizations like TSM, OpTic, and others have even signed chess pros like Hikaru Nakamura and the Botez sisters to their rosters amid the exploding popularity of online chess competitions.
Magnus Carlsen, who is regarded as one of the greatest chess players in history, joins Chess at the Esports World Cup as an ambassador to help connect chess with the broader esports community.
“I’m thrilled to see chess join some of the biggest games in the world at the Esports World Cup," said Magnus Carlsen. "This partnership is an incredible opportunity to grow the game, by introducing chess to new audiences and inspiring the next generation of players. Being part of the esports family is an amazing opportunity for chess to broaden its reach to a massive group of esports fans.”
Esports World Cup 2025 Chess Format
Chess at the EWC will be played in a rapid 10+0 chess format. That means competitors will have 10 minutes on the clock with no opportunity for additional time.
Twelve players hoping to compete at the EWC will qualify through the Champions Chess Tour, which will host two online tour events in February and May of 2025. A final Last Chance Qualifier will take place in Riyadh to select the final four competitors.
