How much did Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy earn in prize money from FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025?

The total prize fund for the event was US $691,250.

The 2025 FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup ended in a historic all-Indian final between Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy in Batumi, Georgia. Nineteen-year-old Divya held her own against one of India’s most experienced players and came out on top in the rapid tiebreaks after two classical draws.

With this result, Divya became the first Indian to win the Women’s World Cup title. Her performance throughout the event was consistent and fearless. She stayed composed under pressure and capitalised on every opportunity in the final stages.

Divya made her way to the final with impressive wins over strong opponents. In the quarter-finals, she defeated fellow Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli in the rapid tiebreaks after both classical games were drawn. She then faced China’s Tan Zhongyi, a former Women’s World Champion, in the semi-finals and secured a 1.5–0.5 win across the two classical games.

With that result, Divya became the first Indian woman to reach a World Cup final. Koneru Humpy, on the other hand, had a long battle against China’s Lei Tingjie in her semi-final. After four rapid games and additional blitz tiebreaks, Humpy eventually prevailed with a 5–3 score in a closely fought match.

Also Read: Records Divya Deshmukh made by winning FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 title

For Koneru Humpy, reaching the final added another major result to her long career. While she could not win the title this time, her journey to the final at 38 shows her continued relevance in top-level chess.

Apart from the title and recognition, the event also had a significant prize pool. Here’s what both players earned.

Prize money earned by Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy

Divya Deshmukh earned 50,000 US dollars [Rs 43 lakh approx.] as the winner of the Women’s World Cup 2025. This amount is fixed for the champion by FIDE. Along with the prize money, Divya also secured the Grandmaster title, having already crossed the required 2500 rating during the event.

Koneru Humpy earned 35,000 US dollars [Rs 30 lakh approx.] as the runner-up. This was the second-highest payout in the women’s section and was confirmed once she advanced to the final.

The third and fourth place finishers received 25,000 and 20,000 dollars, respectively. Players eliminated in earlier rounds received decreasing amounts based on which round they reached.

Comparison with the Open section

The Women’s World Cup had a total prize fund of 691,250 US dollars. In comparison, the Open (or Men’s) World Cup had a prize fund of 1,834,000 US dollars.

The winner of the Open section received 110,000 dollars [Rs 95 lakh approx.], while the runner-up earned $80,000 [Rs 69 lakh approx.]. These are more than double the amounts given in the women’s section. This difference is not new and is often explained by factors like sponsorship and viewership. However, both events require the same level of preparation and competitive intensity.

The prize gap doesn’t reduce the value of the women’s tournament, but it does highlight the work still needed to bring more equality to chess earnings.

Also Read: Who is Divya Deshmukh? Five interesting facts to know about Indian chess history-maker

Why this achievement matters

Divya’s win is one of the biggest breakthroughs in Indian chess in recent years. She became a Grandmaster at 19 by winning one of the toughest knockout tournaments in the sport. Few Indian women have ever come close to this level, and none have won this title before.

For young players across the country, this is a powerful example. Divya’s performance shows that Indian women can compete and win at the very top. Her win also brings India a direct qualification to the Women’s Candidates Tournament.

Also Read: Top five youngest Indians to become Grandmasters in chess

Humpy’s presence in the final gave the event added weight. She has carried Indian women’s chess for two decades, and her run to the final reminds everyone of her class.

To conclude, Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy earned a combined 85,000 US dollars in prize money at the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025. More importantly, they delivered one of the most memorable tournaments Indian chess has seen.

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