Esports World Cup 2025 Chess: format, schedule and gamers

Backed by Grandmaster participant Magnus Carlsen, chess is heading to the Esports World Cup for the primary time.

Right here is the whole lot followers have to know in regards to the Esports World Cup 2025 Chess competitors from July Twenty ninth till August 1st.

The Esports World Cup (EWC), organised by the Saudi Arabian government-backed EWC Basis, is internet hosting its second version this yr. The multi-title esports competition will happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July eighth till August Twenty fourth, providing a $70m (~£54.3m) mixed prize pool.

Chess gamers at EWC 2025 should progress via a GSL-style Group Stage, adopted by a Playoffs bracket. All matches can be performed in a ten+0 speedy format, which means that gamers can have ten minutes to make their strikes, with no further time to be added.

In the course of the first part, rivals can be divided into 4 teams of 4 gamers. Every match within the double-elimination bracket will comprise two video games of chess.

The highest two gamers from every group will then advance to the single-elimination Playoffs stage. The Quarterfinals will function 4 video games per match and the Semifinals six video games per match.

The ultimate champion can be decided via best-of-three (BO3) units, with as much as ten video games in whole. The format additionally features a separate Third-place match.

The Group Stage on the EWC 2025 Chess event will run throughout July Twenty ninth-Thirtieth. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals of the Playoffs can be performed out on day three. The ultimate day (August 1st) can be solely devoted to the Grand Ultimate and the Third-place match.

All video games can be broadcast in English on the official EWC YouTube and Twitch channels. Furthermore, followers can buy venue tickets for the occasion by way of the designated web site.

With chess rising extra standard within the gaming and esports communities, a number of esports organisations have signed chess gamers forward of the EWC. As well as, participation within the EWC Chess competitors presents a possibility to achieve further Membership Factors and improve an organisation’s probabilities of changing into essentially the most profitable crew on the esports competition.

The primary twelve slots for the chess event have already been assigned primarily based on the Factors Standings of the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) 2025. The tour contains two on-line occasions, the Chessable Masters from February Sixteenth-Twenty first and Leg 2 from Might 18th-Twenty third.

With the conclusion of the CCT 2025, twelve high-profile chess gamers have joined the EWC 2025 lineup:

The remaining 4 slots can be allotted after the EWC Final Likelihood Qualifier, held in Riyadh from July Twenty fourth-Twenty sixth.