Erling Haaland's involvement has helped Norway Chess secure a $10 million funding round for its Total Chess project. The investment attracted other prominent Norwegian athletes and business leaders.
Norway Chess CEO Kjell Madland said Haaland's stake purchase through Chess Mates Capital paved the way for the round. The round valued the company at NOK 250 million and gave investors a combined 28 percent stake.
Other backers include skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, former cyclist Thor Hushovd, and businessman Bjørn Maaseide. The funding supports the Total Chess World Championship circuit, which will begin with a pilot event in Budapest from November 13 to 23.
From 2027 the tour plans four annual events with a minimum prize fund of $2.7 million. The agreement with FIDE runs for 16 years and covers media rights for classical, rapid, and blitz formats.
Madland noted that Haaland's global profile helped draw interest from investors and media partners. He added that the project aims to build long-term commercial stability for chess.