The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 is set to make history by featuring chess as one of its competitive events for the first time.
This inclusion highlights the growing recognition of chess as a strategic esport, blending traditional gameplay with modern competitive formats.
Here’s everything you need to know about the chess tournament at EWC 2025:
Chess at Esports World Cup 2025: Players and Teams
The chess tournament will bring together a mix of elite players and rising stars from across the globe. A total of 16 players will compete:
- Top 12 Qualifiers: These players will earn their spots through the Champions Chess Tour (CCT), an online circuit organized by Chess.com. The CCT has been instrumental in identifying top talent through fast-paced tournaments.
- Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ): Four additional players will secure their places through an LCQ event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This format ensures inclusivity by offering opportunities to both professional and amateur players.
Chess Players Participating at the Esports World Cup 2025
- Team Liquid – Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana
- Team Falcons – Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja
- NAVI – Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So and Oleksandr Bortnyk
- Aurora – Ian Neopmniachtchi
- LGD Gaming – Ding Liren
- Gen.G – Arjun Erigaisi
- Team Vitality – Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave
- Weibo – Wei Yi
- AG Global – Volodar Murzin
- Wolves Esports – Yu Yangyi
Chess at Esports World Cup 2025: Prize Money
The chess tournament boasts an impressive prize pool of $1.5 million, making it one of the most lucrative events in competitive chess history.
This substantial prize reflects the growing investment in chess as an esport and provides a major incentive for top players to compete.
Chess at Esports World Cup 2025: Tournament Format
The chess games will be played in a rapid format with a time control of 10+0 (10 minutes per player with no increment).
This fast-paced format is designed to appeal to both traditional chess fans and esports audiences by combining strategic depth with quick decision-making.
- Tiebreaks: If a match ends in a tie, an Armageddon game will decide the winner. In Armageddon, White gets extra time but must win, while Black can draw to secure victory.
- Structure: The tournament will feature group stages followed by knockout rounds, ensuring intense competition throughout.
Chess at Esports World Cup 2025: Schedule and Venue
The chess tournament is scheduled from July 31 to August 3, 2025, and will take place at Boulevard Riyadh City in Saudi Arabia.
This venue is set to host multiple esports events during EWC 2025, providing a grand stage for chess to shine alongside other popular esports titles.
Significance of Chess at EWC
The inclusion of chess in EWC 2025 marks a pivotal moment for the game’s evolution as an esport.
By featuring alongside games like Dota 2 and Valorant, chess gains exposure to a broader audience while retaining its intellectual appeal.
The partnership between Chess.com and the Esports World Cup Foundation aims to innovate competitive formats and attract new fans to the game.
