When Chess was announced to be one of the many competitions at the Esports World Cup 2025, fans were very divided on whether the centuries-old board game had a place at the tournament – but one EWC exec has explained why it makes perfect sense.
Taking place alongside some of the most iconic esports in the world like Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, StarCraft, and more, Chess has never typically been considered an “esport” – probably due to how long it was around before esports even existed.
However, with the way the game has evolved and with platforms like Chess.com, it is as popular now as it ever has been. Esports World Cup Foundation’s Chief Games Officer Fabian Scheuermann believes for that reason it’s a natural fit for the EWC.
“Chess is absolutely an esport,” he told esports.gg. “Like all great competitions, chess began as play, gained structure through rules, and was elevated to sport through the spirit of competition. Chess has been played for over 1,500 years, but the game continues to transform and grow naturally as the world changes around it, merging with new technologies with ease. Adding chess to the Esports World Cup is the next step in that evolution.
“What excites me personally is how chess — a game often seen as traditional — has embraced digital transformation to become one of the most accessible and widely played games on the planet, with more younger players and grandmasters now more than ever. The universal appeal of chess has never been higher, so there’s no better time than now to add it to the EWC.”
He continued: “Then there’s the rise of streaming and creators — they’ve turned chess into something people love to watch, not just play. Top players, creators, and icons like Magnus Carlsen have been key to this, bringing the stories to life and showing that chess can be fast, exciting, and made for streaming … And finally, the format itself. The Champions Chess Tour (CCT) has given chess a competitive, high-energy structure that fits perfectly with esports — fast games, big stakes, and clear storylines that are great to watch, both live and online. The CCT is the primary path to qualify for the Esports World Cup.”
At the Esports World Cup, the Chess tournament will feature a $1.5m prize pool for the top 16 best players in the world to compete for. Scheuermann said this is “an amazing opportunity for chess players. It puts them right in the middle of the global esports scene — far beyond the traditional chess audience.”
Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, ranked first and second respectively in the world, will be competing at the World Cup, as will Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Carlsen will be representing long-time esports stalwarts Team Liquid, while Nakamura will represent 2024 EWC winners Team Falcons and Ian Nepomniachtchi for Aurora Gaming.
