India to Host FIDE World Cup 2025 from October 30 to November 27.
India will host the 2025 FIDE World Cup, one of the most prestigious events on the international chess calendar, from October 30 to November 27, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on Monday. The host city is yet to be confirmed and will be revealed “in due course.”
This will be the first time India hosts the tournament in over two decades. The last time it was held in the country was in 2002, when Viswanathan Anand triumphed in Hyderabad.
The 2025 edition will feature 206 players competing in a knockout format, with three qualification spots for the 2026 Candidates Tournament—the competition that decides the challenger for the World Chess Championship title.
FIDE has retained the tournament format introduced in 2021. Each round will span three days: two for classical games and one for tie-breaks, if necessary. The top 50 seeds will receive byes into the second round, while seeds ranked 51 to 206 will play in the opening round, based on a “top half vs reversed lower half” pairing system.
Some of the biggest names in global chess are expected to take part, including reigning world champion D Gukesh, 2023 World Cup runner-up R Praggnanandhaa, and world number five Arjun Erigaisi. Reigning World Cup champion and world number one Magnus Carlsen, who won the last edition in 2023, has also qualified.
“The top three finishers of the 2025 World Cup will earn direct qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament,” FIDE confirmed in its statement.
India’s stature as a chess powerhouse continues to grow, with the country having recently hosted several elite events—including 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.
“We are thrilled to bring the FIDE World Cup 2025 to India, a country with a deep-rooted passion and support for chess,” said FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky. “Indian chess fans’ enthusiasm has always been remarkable, and we anticipate great interest both on-site and online.”
With its homegrown talents now among the world elite and chess enjoying widespread popularity nationwide, the 2025 World Cup promises to be a landmark moment in India’s chess journey—and a thrilling spectacle for fans across the globe.
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