Esports World Cup
Top chess grandmasters call for resolution to 2026 schedule clash
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Seven leading chess grandmasters, including Praggnanandhaa R and Fabiano Caruana, have issued an open letter urging organizers of the Grand Chess Tour and the Esports World Cup to resolve a major scheduling overlap in August 2026. The conflict involves key events from both series, making dual participation impossible for top players. The Grand Chess Tour has stated it cannot alter its dates due to prior commitments.
Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen defeated Denis Lazavik and Jan-Krzysztof Duda 3-2 in both matches to reach the grand final of the 2026 Chess.com Open Playoffs. The Norwegian world number-one overcame early setbacks in the winners bracket semifinals and final. Duda secured a qualification spot for the 2026 Esports World Cup by advancing to the winners final.
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A chess tournament at DreamHack Atlanta will run from May 15 to 17, offering four qualification spots to the Esports World Cup and a $50,000 prize fund. The event at the Georgia World Congress Center is open to all players who register online by May 11 and attend in person. Top finishers will advance through Swiss-system qualifiers to a double-elimination final.
The Esports World Cup Foundation has unveiled a $75 million prize pool for the 2026 edition, marking the largest in esports history. The event returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 6 to August 23, drawing over 2,000 players and 200 clubs from more than 100 countries across 24 games. Chess returns to the lineup with a dedicated $1.5 million tournament.