Each chess participant signed to an esports organisation forward of EWC

The pattern of esports organisations increasing into chess exhibits no indicators of slowing down. In latest months, a number of groups have signed the most effective gamers on the planet with the goal of competing on the largest levels the technique sport has to supply.

Chess was unveiled as a match on the Esports World Cup in December 2024, and since then, esports organisations taking part within the competitors have continued to draw expertise from the world over — and from the highest of the chess leaderboard.

Up to date on 14/04/25: With extra organisations getting into chess, this text has been up to date with all the confirmed signings thus far.

French esports organisation Group Vitality was one of many first to broaden its operations into chess for the EWC. In February 2025, it signed Grandmaster Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave to symbolize the organisation throughout the worldwide chess circuit.

Along with the EWC, MVL represents Group Vitality within the Champions Chess Tour. He positioned within the prime 23 for the Chessable Masters occasion which concluded on February twenty first, 2025.

The esports division of the English soccer membership Wolverhampton Wanderers has additionally launched into fielding chess gamers.

On February twenty seventh, the organisation signed Yu Yangyi, China’s youngest Grandmaster, who will symbolize the organisation on the EWC, that includes a $1.5m (~£1.2m) prize pool.

Ukrainian organisation NAVI (Natus Vincere) introduced a big enlargement into chess on February seventeenth, 2025, with the signing of three gamers to its ranks.

Sixth on the planet Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So and Oleksandr Bortnyk all competed within the first Chessable Masters competitors of 2025, with So ending within the prime 16.

All three gamers look to symbolize the organisation on the EWC, a contest the place NAVI is a part of the Membership programme.

Serbian organisation Aurora Gaming has additionally made the leap into the world {of professional} chess with the signing of Blitz Chess World Champion Ian Neopmniachtchi.

Presently ranked tenth on the planet, the Russian professional will compete within the Champions Chess Tour below the organisation’s banner on the EWC starting on June twenty eighth.

Saudi Arabian organisation Group Falcons can even discipline a chess Grandmaster on the EWC and different competitions. On February 18th, it introduced the signing of Hikaru Nakamura, who’s at the moment ranked second on the planet, in response to the Chess.com rankings.

Nakamura is not any stranger to representing esports organisations. In 2020, he represented North American organisation TSM as a streamer in a deal price six figures.

In March, the organisation introduced the signing of Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja, taking its chess roster to 2. Group Falcons is without doubt one of the solely esports organisations to discipline two gamers ranked within the prime ten.

Leo Group is the second Ukrainian esports organisation to discipline a chess participant.

The organisation signed 2003 Grandmaster Anton Korobov to its roster with the goal of qualifying for the EWC.

Russian organisation Group Spirit has additionally unveiled its consultant for chess. In April, grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev joined the organisation following a string of victories in March.

The Russian participant sits in ninth place within the CCT rankings, with 20 factors earned from the Chessable Masters occasion. In the identical announcement, Group Spirit additionally introduced Daniil Dubov as a signed participant.

The following ranked occasion is the CCT’s Could occasion and would be the final likelihood for gamers to earn factors to earn qualification for the EWC.

One other notable identify to broaden into chess is Group Secret. In April, the organisation signed Anish Giri to its roster.

Presently ranked in joint-ninth place within the CCT rankings, Giri is one in every of a number of gamers in rivalry of qualifying for the EWC later this 12 months.

The highest 24 gamers from the CCT’s Could Occasion will earn factors that decide rankings for the inaugural match, with 100 awarded to the winner and guaranteeing a spot in Saudi Arabia.

Chinese language organisation LGD Gaming is one in every of a handful of esports organisations from Asia fielding a chess participant thus far.

On February 14th, it introduced the signing of former World Champion Ding Liren, who’s returning to chess after taking a aggressive hiatus in December 2024.

Just like NAVI, LGD Gaming is one in every of 30 organisations that type a part of the EWC’s Membership programme, which presents monetary capital aiming to make sure the steadiness of organisations.

Weibo Gaming has additionally expanded into skilled chess. On February sixteenth, the Chinese language organisation signed world quantity seven Wei Yi to its roster.

The primary match below the organisation noticed Yi end the Chessable Masters with a prime 12 placement.

Based in 1999, All Avid gamers is without doubt one of the oldest esports organisations on the planet. Like many, the Chinese language organisation expanded into chess in February with the signing of Volodar Murzin.

Murzin is the defending Speedy Chess World Champion and just lately positioned fourth within the Djerba Worldwide Chess Pageant.

World esports organisation Gen.G is one other notable identify that has ventured into the world {of professional} chess.

In February, the organisation signed Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi to symbolize it throughout a number of tournaments together with the EWC. Presently ranked fifth within the Chess Champions Tour standings, Erigaisi is poised to safe a spot on the multi-title occasion going down in July and August.

The latest esports organisation to enter chess is S8UL Esports by the signings of Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram.

Like a number of prime names in chess, Sarin and Chithambaram compete within the Chess Champions Tour. The latter is ranked seventeenth and the previous sits in twenty fourth place. The highest 12 gamers will earn direct qualification to the EWC which means some sturdy performances are required for S8UL Esports to earn a spot in Riyadh.

North American esports organisation Group Liquid has already cemented its place on the prime of chess with the signings of Fabiano Caruana and world primary Magnus Carlsen.

The organisation was one of many first on the planet to broaden into chess and instantly made an affect by including two of the world’s finest gamers to its lineup.

Most just lately, Carlsen received the Chessable Masters competitors, whereas Caruana completed within the prime 12.

To date, Group Liquid’s Carlsen, Group Falcons’ Nakamura and Aurora Gaming’s Nepomniachtchi are the one gamers to qualify for the EWC thus far.

The match will function the highest 12 gamers primarily based on CCT factors together with 4 who make it by a last-chance qualifier.

First printed: 03/03/25