Last night, the Esports World Cup Foundation confirmed the presence of a chess tournament during the next edition of the EWC.
The world of chess is preparing to take a decisive step in its evolution towards esports. The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and the Chess.com platform have announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that will bring competitive chess to the 2025 edition of the Esports World Cup, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next summer.
A marriage between tradition and modernity
With more than 600 million players worldwide and nearly 200 million members on Chess.com, chess is among the most popular games in the world. Through this collaboration, the Champion Chess Tour (CCT), Chess.com’s fast-paced tournament circuit, will become the primary pathway to qualifying top players for the event. Two online qualifying stages will take place in February and May 2025, with a total of $300,000 at stake.
“Bringing chess, a 1,500-year-old game, into the Esports World Cup is a truly exciting moment”confided Ralf Reichert, PDG of the EWCF. “It’s the perfect example of the evolution of games: from a board to a screen, while preserving the essence of competition. »
Magnus Carlsen, global ambassador
To top off the announcement, Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, considered one of the greatest chess players in history, has been named Global Chess Ambassador for the EWC. His role? Connecting the world of chess with the esports community and inspiring a new generation of players.
“I’m excited to see chess join the world’s biggest games at the Esports World Cup”said the 34-year-old Norwegian. “This is an incredible opportunity to introduce chess to a new audience and inspire the next generation of players. »
An innovative competitive format
The competition will take place from July 31 to August 3, 2025 in Riyadh. The top 12 CCT players will be invited to the event, while a last-chance qualifying tournament, open to all, will award the final four spots. With a prize pool of $1.5 million, competitors will compete in a fast-paced (10+0) format designed to captivate esports fans.
In the event of a tie, a decisive game in “Armageddon” mode will decide between the players. “This fast-paced format will highlight the strategy and genius of players while appealing to a wider esports audience”explained Ralf Reichert.
Failures in the world of esports
Chess joins a selection of more than 20 of the world’s most popular games for EWC 2025, with one clear goal: to bring together the best clubs, players and fans under one banner.
The integration of chess marks a turning point in their history. Popularized online thanks to Chess.com in the 2010s and boosted by events like The Queen’s Gambit series, digital chess is now experiencing a true golden age. With the support of Magnus Carlsen and a booming competitive scene, chess is now asserting itself as a major discipline in the world of global esports.
