S8UL’s Nihal Sarin qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 Chess event
(Courtesy : S8UL, Nihal Sarin, EWC 2026)
Joins S8UL teammate Aravindh Chithambaram as the only Indians so far to qualify for EWC 2026
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing esports and gaming content powerhouse S8UL Esports, has officially qualified for the Chess main event at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 through the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) 2025-2026 Leaderboard.
He joins teammate Aravindh Chithambaram as the only two Indian players to qualify for the prestigious tournament so far. Let’s check out more details in this article.
Nihal Sarin’s path to EWC 2026
The CCT 2025-2026 season featured two major events, the Speed Chess Championship (SCC) 2025 and Chess.com Open (CCO) 2026.
The top three players from both tournaments secured direct qualification to the EWC, while players finishing between fifth and ninth in SCC, along with the remaining participants in CCO, earned points toward the CCT Leaderboard based on their performances.
In addition to these events, players also accumulated points through the Titled Tuesday Grand Prix (TTGP) circuit, which was divided into Autumn, Winter, and Spring splits featuring 13 Titled Tuesday tournaments each.
Players earned leaderboard points in every Titled Tuesday event across the season. At the end of the season, the top nine players in the final CCT Leaderboard standings, excluding already-qualified players, secured their spots at EWC 2026.
Nihal Sarin narrowly missed out on direct qualification through the CCO after finishing fourth, just one spot away from qualification, but still secured 100 crucial leaderboard points from the event.
He further added points through consistent performances across the TTGP circuit, including one point in the Autumn Split and four points in the Winter Split.
A standout second-place finish in the Spring Split ultimately helped him accumulate 34 points and finish with a total of 139 points in the standings to secure his berth at the EWC 2026.
Also Read: S8UL partners up with Campa Energy for Esports World Cup 2026 campaign
Sharing thoughts about the qualification
Last year, Nihal Sarin was one of only two Indians representing the country at the EWC 2025 after qualifying through the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). He went on to reach the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Magnus Carlsen.
Speaking about the qualification, Nihal Sarin said,“Qualifying for the Esports World Cup once again is a very special feeling, especially through a circuit as competitive and demanding as the Champions Chess Tour. This season required consistency across multiple formats and tournaments over several months, and I’m happy that the hard work paid off.
Last year’s experience at the EWC gave me a real understanding of how competitive and intense the event is, and it has only motivated me to come back stronger this time. Representing India and S8UL on such a global stage is always special, and I’m looking forward to competing against some of the very best players in the world once again.”
Conclusion
Meanwhile, fellow S8UL Grandmaster Pranesh M, finished just four spots behind the final qualifying position in the CCT Leaderboard standings and also reached the quarterfinals of the India Rising qualifier.
He still remains in contention for EWC qualification through the upcoming LCQ, from which four additional players will qualify for the tournament.
This year’s EWC Chess competition, where the world’s best players will compete for a prize pool of USD 1.5 million (~INR 14.3 crore) from August 11 to 15, will feature a revised two-phase format.
The tournament will begin with the newly introduced Play-In stage, where eight players qualified through the LCQ and DreamHack Atlanta will compete in a double-elimination bracket featuring two-game matches.
Aravindh, who secured qualification through DreamHack Atlanta earlier this year, will compete in this stage. The top-performing players from the Play-In stage will advance to the Group Stage.
Nihal Sarin, meanwhile, has directly qualified for the Group Stage through the CCT rankings. The Group Stage will feature 16 players divided into two groups of eight, once again competing in double-elimination brackets with two-game matches. The top four players from each group will advance to the Playoffs.
The EWC 2026, set to take place from July 6 to August 23 in Paris, France, will bring together over 2,000 players from 200 clubs across more than 100 countries competing for a record-breaking prize pool of USD 75 million (~INR 718 crore).
With confirmed qualification across three titles, S8UL will continue its push to represent India on the global stage while pursuing qualification in additional events.
How did Nihal Sarin qualify for the Esports World Cup 2026?
Nihal Sarin qualified for the EWC 2026 Chess event through the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) 2025-2026 Leaderboard after strong performances across multiple tournaments and the Titled Tuesday Grand Prix circuit.
Which Indian players have qualified for EWC 2026 Chess so far?
So far, Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram are the only Indian players to officially qualify for the Esports World Cup 2026 Chess event.
When and where will the Esports World Cup 2026 take place?
The Esports World Cup 2026 will take place in Paris, France, from July 6 to August 23, 2026.
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Mahaksh Chauhan is a passionate gaming journalist who loves for old-school RPGs and turn-based games. With a keen eye for storytelling and a deep understanding of game mechanics, Mahaksh brings an unique perspective to the world of gaming. Inspired by classics like Persona, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Skyrim, Mahaksh is dedicated in sharing the magic of games with readers. When not writing or gaming, Mahaksh can be found cheering on WWE superstars or watching his favourite Anime.