Chess joins Esports World Cup 2025 and Magnus Carlsen will be ambassador

The Esports World Cup Foundation, organizer of the Esports World Cup, has announced a multi-year partnership with online chess platform Chess.com. As a result, chess will be included in the Esports World Cup 2025 title list and will have a $1.5 prize tournament.

In addition, chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen will be the video game’s ambassador at the EWC. Chess, more specifically the digital version of the game popularized by platforms such as Chess.com, is the first announced title to debut at Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh.

Although not a proper esports title, chess is gaining popularity as an interesting alternative to “classic” esports games. Chess tournaments are regularly streamed on the Internet and have hundreds of thousands of viewers.

Interested players will be able to qualify for the world championship through the Champions Chess Tour.a series of events organized by Chess.com. The tournament organizer said there will be two events in 2025 that will qualify players for the EWC, and the top 12 in the CCT will receive invitations. A last chance qualifying tournament for amateur and professional players will also be held in Riyadh.

Magnus Carlsen, one of the best-known professional chess players on the current scene, will help promote the tournament. According to a statement, Carlsen “will help connect chess with the broader eSports community.” He also added that the EWC is an incredible opportunity to showcase chess to a broad group of eSports fans.

It’s the perfect example of how games evolve: from boards to screens, the core of the competition remains the same. Chess’ rich history, global appeal and thriving competitive scene make it a perfect fit for our mission to unite the world’s most popular games and their passionate communities under one competitive umbrella. Partnering with the leading online platform for the game, Chess.com, and appointing the legendary Magnus Carlsen, a true GOAT of the sport, as an ambassador for the game, allows us to not only showcase chess on a massive stage, but also drive innovation and growth within its already vibrant ecosystem.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation