Confirmed! Goa to host FIDE World Cup 2025 in November
(Courtesy : @DGukesh/Twitter)
Chess’ biggest competition, FIDE World Cup, will return to India after 23 years.
India is set to welcome the FIDE World Cup 2025 as Goa has been selected to host the tournament starting from October 30 to November 27, marking the return of the event to the country after 23 years.
The last time a Chess World Cup was held in India was 2002 in Hyderabad, where Indian legend Viswanathan Anand clinched the crown.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich announced the news, highlighting Divya Deshmukh’s spectacular win at the recently concluded FIDE Women’s World Cup in Georgia, where she defeated compatriot Koenru Humpy in the final.
“India has become one of the strongest chess nations, with outstanding players and passionate fans. After the success of the FIDE Women’s World Cup held in Georgia earlier this year, we are proud to bring the FIDE World Cup to Goa,” he said.
“It will be a celebration of chess, and a unique experience for players and spectators from around the world. Representatives from 90 countries are expected to participate, making it one of the most followed events in chess history,” the FIDE president added.
Also Read: Top five youngest chess grandmasters in history
The tournament will offer a prize pool of 2 million dollars which is around 17 crore in Indian Rupees. It will also provide three spots for next year’s Candidates Tournament, where the winners will be given the chance to challenge the reigning world champion, D Gukesh.
Around 206 players from across the globe will take part in the FIDE Chess World Cup in Goa, including superstars like Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and R. Praggnanandhaa.
India’s contingent is expected to feature 21 players, including Viswanathan Anand, though his participation is yet to be confirmed.
In the tournament, the top 50 players don’t have to play the first round as they can automatically start from round two receiving the bye.
The remaining players ranked 51 to 206 will compete in the first round, with matchups set so that higher-ranked players face lower-ranked players.
The games will be played in a knockout format. Each match has two classical games, and if the score is tied, players will battle in rapid and blitz games to decide the winner.
When and where will FIDE World Cup 2025 be held?
The tournament will take place in Goa, India, from October 30 to November 27.
When did India last host a FIDE World Cup?
The last World Cup in India was in 2002 in Hyderabad, where Viswanathan Anand won the title.
How many players are expected to participate?
Around 206 players from across the world will take part.
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Uzma Fatima is a passionate sports journalist who believes every match has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the grace of Olympic champions, the grit of tennis and badminton battles, or the drama of cricket’s highs and heartbreaks — she loves capturing the emotion behind the action. Off the field, she’s a Formula 1 enthusiast who never misses a race weekend.
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