New Delhi, India – India is set to host the prestigious FIDE World Cup this year, with the global governing body for chess announcing on Monday, July 21, 2025, that the tournament will run from October 30 to November 27. While a specific host city is yet to be named, FIDE confirmed it will be announced “in due course,” with New Delhi being widely considered a strong contender given its recent history of hosting major events.
This marks a significant return for the World Cup to India, which last hosted the event in Hyderabad in 2002, a tournament famously won by Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand.
Tournament Format and Stakes
The FIDE World Cup will feature a massive field of 206 players, all battling for the coveted title and crucial qualification spots for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. The format is a high-stakes knockout system, where the losing player in each round is eliminated.
In the initial round, the top 50 seeded players will receive byes, with players seeded from 51 to 206 competing. Pairings in this round will follow the principle of the top half facing the reversed lower half of the remaining players.
FIDE emphasized the importance of the tournament for the world championship cycle: “The top three finishers of the 2025 World Cup will earn direct qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship.”
Star-Studded Lineup Expected
The tournament is expected to draw the biggest names in chess, including a strong contingent of Indian talent. Reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, who was the runner-up of the 2023 World Cup, and Arjun Erigaisi, currently ranked world number five, are among the Indian stars anticipated to be in action. World number one Magnus Carlsen, who won the biennial event in 2023, has also qualified to compete, adding immense prestige to the field.
India’s Growing Stature as a Global Chess Hub
India’s selection as the host nation for the World Cup underscores its burgeoning status as a global chess powerhouse. The country has a proven track record of successfully organizing major international chess events in recent years, including the highly successful 2022 Chess Olympiad, the annual Tata Steel Chess India tournaments, the 2024 World Junior U20 Championships, and the 5th leg of the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in April of this year.
FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky expressed enthusiasm for bringing the event to India. “We are thrilled to bring the FIDE World Cup 2025 to India, a country with a deep-rooted passion and support for chess,” Sutovsky said in a press release. “Indian chess fans’ enthusiasm has always been remarkable, and we anticipate great interest in the event among local chess lovers, both on-site and online.”
The announcement sets the stage for what promises to be an exhilarating month of high-level chess, showcasing the country’s rising prominence in the global chess landscape.
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