February saw a seismic shift in the esports world as top chess players signed with major esports organizations. Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren are now poised to compete alongside Dota 2 and CS:GO professionals at the Esports World Cup (EWC).
Table of Contents
- Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
- Who Signed With Whom?
- Magnus Carlsen
- Ian Nepomniachtchi
- Ding Liren
- Fabiano Caruana
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
- Volodar Murzin
- Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
The answer is simple: 2025 marks chess's debut as an official discipline at the EWC in Riyadh, boasting a $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, is the premier global esports championship. Initially featuring just five disciplines (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO), it has expanded to 25, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become the "global hub of esports" by 2030.
Scheduled from June to August 2025, the EWC offers a massive $60 million prize pool. Crucially, teams earn points based on their top-eight finishes across all disciplines. To maximize their chances of winning, teams need strong representation in every discipline, including chess.
Who Signed With Whom?
Magnus Carlsen
- Team: Team Liquid
- FIDE Ranking: 1 The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, excited to be part of a leading esports organization. Team Liquid's Co-CEO, Steve Arhane, called Carlsen the "greatest chess player of all time."
Ian Nepomniachtchi
- Team: Aurora
- FIDE Ranking: 9 Russia's top chess player signed with Aurora Gaming, enthusiastic about chess's inclusion in the EWC.
Ding Liren
- Team: LGD
- FIDE Ranking: 17 Despite a recent setback, the legendary Chinese esports club LGD welcomed Ding Liren to their roster.
Fabiano Caruana
- Team: Team Liquid
- FIDE Ranking: 2 Team Liquid further strengthened its chess division by signing American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana on a three-year contract.
Hikaru Nakamura
- Team: Falcons
- FIDE Ranking: 3 Five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura joined Team Falcons.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
- Team: Vitality
- FIDE Ranking: 22 French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent esports organization.
Volodar Murzin
- Team: AG Global Esports
- FIDE Ranking: 70 Eighteen-year-old Volodar Murzin, a 2024 World Rapid Championship winner, signed with AG Global Esports.
Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik
- Team: NAVI
- FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively NAVI signed grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik for the EWC.
