logo
India to Host 2025 FIDE Chess World Cup From October 30 To November 27; Host City Yet To Be Announced

India to Host 2025 FIDE Chess World Cup From October 30 To November 27; Host City Yet To Be Announced

India.com21-07-2025
India is set to host the prestigious FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, marking a historic return of the global event to Indian soil after more than two decades. The tournament will be held from October 30 to November 27, with the host city yet to be officially announced.
206 Players to Battle in Knockout Format
The tournament will feature 206 of the world's best players, all vying for the coveted title and qualification spots for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament the gateway to the World Chess Championship. This format has been in place since 2021, where each round is a single-elimination knockout.
Each round will span three days, comprising two classical games on the first two days and, if necessary, tie-breaks on the third day. The top 50 seeds receive first-round byes, while players ranked 51 to 206 will compete in round one, following a format of top-half vs reversed lower-half matchups.
Three Candidates Spots Up for Grabs
FIDE confirmed that the top three finishers of the 2025 World Cup will earn direct qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which ultimately decides the next challenger for the World Chess Championship crown.
Top Indian Stars and Magnus Carlsen in Action
The upcoming World Cup will see the participation of several top Indian chess stars, including:
D Gukesh, the reigning world champion,
R Praggnanandhaa, the 2023 World Cup runner-up, and
Arjun Erigaisi, currently ranked world number five.
Magnus Carlsen, the world number one and 2023 World Cup winner, has also qualified for this edition, ensuring a stellar lineup for fans to look forward to.
India's Growing Footprint in International Chess
India last hosted the FIDE World Cup in 2002 in Hyderabad, where chess legend Viswanathan Anand won the title. Since then, the country has emerged as a global hub for major chess events. In recent years, India has successfully organized:
The 2022 Chess Olympiad,
Tata Steel Chess India,
The 2024 World Junior U20 Championships, and
The 5th leg of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix.
FIDE Hails India's Passion for Chess
In the official announcement, FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky expressed excitement over India hosting the event:
'We are thrilled to bring the FIDE World Cup 2025 to India, a country with a deep-rooted passion and support for chess. Indian chess fans' enthusiasm has always been remarkable, and we anticipate great interest in the event among local chess lovers, both on-site and online.'
This edition of the FIDE World Cup promises to be a landmark event, not just for Indian chess, but for global fans who can expect high-stakes battles between the finest minds in the game.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Divya Deshmukh scripts history to become first Indian woman to win chess World Cup
Divya Deshmukh scripts history to become first Indian woman to win chess World Cup

Hans India

time8 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Divya Deshmukh scripts history to become first Indian woman to win chess World Cup

Baku: The 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh stunned the chess world by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious title. In the all-Indian final, Divya defeated legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5–0.5 in the rapid tie-breaks on Monday to script a fairytale ending in Baku. The classical games played over the weekend had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play. In Saturday's opening game, Divya, playing with the white pieces, built a commanding position but let Humpy equalise late. The second game on Sunday was more balanced, though Divya admitted she 'wandered into trouble for no apparent reason' before holding on. But the tie-breaks were where the young sensation flipped the script. After the first rapid game ended in a draw, the second saw Humpy crack under time pressure, making critical blunders that Divya pounced on. With nerves of steel, Divya closed out the win to become the 2025 Women's World Cup champion, the fourth Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title, and the country's 88th GM overall. 'It was fate,' said an emotional Divya after the final. 'Before the tournament, I was thinking that I could maybe earn a Grandmaster norm here. And at the end, I became a Grandmaster.' Divya's victory is even more remarkable considering the odds. She came into the tie-breaks as the underdog — Humpy, a two-time World Rapid Champion and currently world No. 5 in classical chess, was widely expected to dominate in the faster format. In contrast, Divya was ranked No. 18 in classical, No. 22 in rapid, and No. 18 in blitz on the FIDE women's list. This win crowns a sensational rise for the Nagpur teenager, who just last year clinched the World Junior Championship title. She played a pivotal role in India's gold medal run at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, also securing individual gold on her board.

'We will bowl bouncers at you': What was said between players as England fume after Jadeja rejects Ben Stokes' proposal
'We will bowl bouncers at you': What was said between players as England fume after Jadeja rejects Ben Stokes' proposal

Hindustan Times

time8 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

'We will bowl bouncers at you': What was said between players as England fume after Jadeja rejects Ben Stokes' proposal

There is no shortage of drama in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England. What looked like a memorable draw for Shubman Gill's India was spiced up after Ben Stokes had a thing or two to say to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the final session on Day 5 at Manchester. When only draw emerged as the one and possible result, Stokes approached the two Indian batters to shake hands and call the game off early, as he didn't want to overbowl his frontline seamers. Tempers flared in Manchester as England players exchanged a few words with Ravindra Jadeja (PTI) However, Jadeja and Sundar were on the cusp of bringing up memorable centuries, hence it is no surprise that they decided to continue on and not shake hands right there and then. India's decision to continue batting ruffled a few feathers in the England camp, as some of their players got stuck in. Zak Crawley, Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, and Stokes tried their best to get Jadeja to accept their call. However, once he didn't accept, the hosts did not step back and said a few nasty words. Sky Sports Cricket on YouTube has now released full footage of the entire drama, showcasing what was said between the players. Here's the entire conversation between England players and Jadeja and Sundar when the drama unfolded in Manchester Jofra Archer: If you wanted to hundred, you should have batted like it earlier. Zak Crawley: Is it your decision? We'll bowl bouncers at you if you want. Ravindra Jadeja: You have been doing that all day. Ben Duckett: How long do you need, an hour? Then it works that you get to 100, he gets to 90, and then we have to wait for him. It's a bit late in the day for it. Jadeja: I can't say 'ok, I don't want to play'. Ben Stokes: You're going to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook and Ben Duckett? Zak Crawley: If you shake our hands, then it's done. Jadeja: I cannot do anything. Crawley: Yes, you can, you can shake our hands. Once Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar mentioned their centuries, the duo decided to walk off the field and shake the hands of the England players. The match ended in a draw. However, the highly fought contest was marred by ugly scenes at the end. Several cricket pundits are calling out Ben Stokes' behaviour, and even former England captains Nasser Hussain and Alastair Cook sided with India, saying Jadeja and Sundar were well within their rights to do what they did. After the Manchester draw, India captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir said both Jadeja and Sundar deserved their centuries after stitching up an unbeaten 203-run stand for the fifth wicket to help India stay alive in the series. India and England will now square off in the final Test at the Oval, beginning Thursday, July 31.

WATCH: Emotional Divya Deshmukh in tears, hugs mother after winning Women's World Cup
WATCH: Emotional Divya Deshmukh in tears, hugs mother after winning Women's World Cup

Indian Express

time8 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

WATCH: Emotional Divya Deshmukh in tears, hugs mother after winning Women's World Cup

19-year-old Divya Deshmukh scripted history on Monday as she became the FIDE Women's World Cup champion by defeating the veteran Koneru Humpy in the final via the tiebreaks. After her win, the youngster was overwhelmed with emotions as she struggled to control her tears as the magnitude of her feat dawned on her. As soon as she composed herself, she found her mother and hugged her before the tears started flowing again. It was a heartwarming moment and showed what it means for the family. She composed herself, supported by her mother as she got ready for the post-match interviews. The victory for the Nagpur player came after the two classical games played on Saturday and Sunday ended in draws. 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh is in tears after winning the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup! — chess24 (@chess24com) July 28, 2025 Divya winning the Women's World Cup also makes her eligible to be India's fourth woman to become a grandmaster, which is significant because before the event started she had none of the three norms required to become a grandmaster. In the time-controlled tie-breaker on Monday, Divya, playing with white, was again held to a draw. But in the reverse game, where she had black pieces, she managed to overcome the two-time world rapid champion 2.5-1.5. 'I think it was fate, me getting the grandmaster title this way,' an emotional Divya said right after her win. 'Before the tournament, I didn't even have one norm. I was thinking that I could maybe earn a grandmaster norm here. And at the end, I became a grandmaster.' One of Divya's first reactions after winning the title was: 'I definitely need to learn endgames.' Divya's hug to her mom says everything ❤️#FIDEWorldCup @DivyaDeshmukh05 — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 28, 2025 The first two classical games between Humpy and Divya had ended in draws. The first game, which was played on Saturday, was where Divya had the best chances to win, while playing with white pieces. She came with a plan and got a sizeable advantage on the board. But then at the end, she scuffed her lines and allowed Humpy to equalise. Divya had said that that draw had 'felt like a loss' to her. 'I had seen everything (beforehand). So I was disappointed by that,' she said. Humpy too had agreed that Divya was 'clearly better' after 12 moves. 'After that move, I'm not sure what was going on, but it was very complicated,' Humpy admitted.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store