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.
The Esports World Cup Chess Finals will take place in Paris from August 11 to 15. GM Magnus Carlsen is set to defend his title in the expanded 22-player event. The tournament offers a $1.5 million prize fund as part of the larger Esports World Cup.
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Four grandmasters secured spots in the 2026 Esports World Cup Play-in after competing at DreamHack Atlanta. GMs Aravindh Chithambaram, Andrey Esipenko, Liem Le, and Alexey Sarana earned qualification through the event held from May 15 to 17.
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.