FIDE World Cup 2025 could be moved from New Delhi to Goa
'The talks are ongoing. While I can't confirm anything at the moment, yes, Goa is the frontrunner to host the World Cup,' Mahesh Candolkar, president of the Goa Chess Association, told this newspaper.
The Delhi Chess Association, however, claims to have no information about this change.
'Normally, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) doesn't organise events directly but through state associations. The Delhi Chess Association hasn't been informed about any such development (relocation of the tournament),' said Bharat Singh Chauhan, former AICF secretary and current Delhi Chess Association president.
When asked about standard notification timelines regarding the potential relocation of the event, Chauhan added: 'For an international event of this scale, state associations are typically informed six to seven months in advance (if it is to be relocated). We haven't received any communication.'
The AICF did not respond to queries regarding the potential change of venue.
An email accessed by The Indian Express reveals that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has also sanctioned Rs. 2.5 Crore to AICF on May 8th 2025, for the purpose of 'hosting of FIDE World Cup to be held in Delhi from 30th Oct to 27th November 2025'.
While the exact reasons for the venue change remain unclear, sources close to the chess governing body suggest internal conflicts may be responsible, with potential government intervention to dissolve the current administration and call for fresh elections. Earlier, the AICF General Body, following the National Sports Code, unanimously elected the new set of office bearers for the 2024-27 term in New Delhi in March 2024.
New Delhi was initially set to host India's first major international chess tournament since the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, with two AICF officials confirming in March that the biennial tournament, one of the flagship events in global chess, would likely be held at either Bharat Mandapam or Yashobhoomi.
If the national capital loses the World Cup, it would be the second potential relocation for a major chess event in India. The Indian Express recently reported that the fourth leg of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour, also scheduled to be held in New Delhi from September 17 to 24, could be moved to another venue outside India because of a lack of interest from local sponsors.
A prestigious biennial knockout tournament, the FIDE World Cup features over 200 players and is one of the most important events for the World Championship cycle, with three out of the eight spots for the Candidates' tournament at stake. The winner of the marquee Candidates tournament will get to challenge the current World Champion, India's D. Gukesh, in 2026.
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