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 Riyadh Masters Dota 2 event at the inaugural Esports World Cup will offer a $5 million prize pool, the highest among 19 competitions. This amount tops those for PUBG Mobile at $3.8 million and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang at $3.5 million. The tournament runs from July 4 to 21 in Riyadh.
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Grandmasters Anish Giri and Hikaru Nakamura have engaged in a public spat on social media, triggered by overlapping schedules between major chess events. The dispute centers on viewership and opportunities amid preparations for the Candidates Tournament 2026. While both players are set to compete in the upcoming event in Cyprus, their exchange highlights tensions in the evolving chess landscape.