Key Points

The tournament will feature the world's best players battling for the coveted title and qualification spots in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament, according to the FIDE World Cup website.

The FIDE World Cup 2025 will feature 206 players competing in a knockout format--a dynamic and unpredictable system where the losing player in each round is eliminated.

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.

India has become a dominant force in the chess world, thanks in part to five-time World Champion and FIDE Deputy President Viswanathan Anand, whose efforts and legacy have been instrumental in popularising chess in the country.

India's young stars include Gukesh Dommaraju, who became the youngest FIDE World Chess Champion at 18, Praggnanandhaa R, the runner-up of the 2023 World Cup, and Arjun Erigaisi, currently ranked world number five.

In 2024, both the Indian Open and Women's teams claimed their first-ever gold medals at the Chess Olympiad--a historic achievement further highlighted by four individual gold medals won by Gukesh, Erigaisi, Deshmukh, and Agrawal.

Koneru Humpy secured gold at the 2024 FIDE Women's Rapid Championship, and Vaishali Rameshbabu earned bronze at the 2024 FIDE Women's Blitz Championship.

India has also recently hosted major events, including the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022, Tata Steel Chess India, the FIDE World Junior U20 Championships 2024, and the 5th leg of the FIDE Women's Grand Prix (April 2025).

Recently, Indian GM Humpy created history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup. A solid draw in the second game of her quarterfinal clash against China's IM Song Yuxin was enough to seal the deal.

- ANI