February saw the electrifying news of top chess players joining major esports organizations, setting the stage for a thrilling clash of minds at the Esports World Cup (EWC). Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Ding Liren will now compete alongside Dota 2 and CS:GO professionals in one of the world's largest esports tournaments.

Table of Contents

• Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?
• Who Signed With Whom?
  • Magnus Carlsen
  • Ian Nepomniachtchi
  • Ding Liren
  • Fabiano Caruana
  • Hikaru Nakamura
  • Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
  • Volodar Murzin
  • Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

Why Are Esports Organizations Recruiting Chess Players?

The answer is simple: 2025 marks chess's debut as an official discipline at the EWC in Riyadh, boasting a massive $1.5 million prize pool. The EWC, held annually in Saudi Arabia, has rapidly expanded from its initial five disciplines (Dota 2, PUBG, Rocket League, FIFA, and CS:GO) to encompass 25, reflecting Saudi Arabia's ambition to become a global esports hub by 2030.

Scheduled from June to August 2025, the EWC offers a staggering $60 million prize pool. Crucially, teams earn points based on their top-eight finishes across all disciplines, incentivizing a broad roster. With the ultimate goal of winning the overall standings (Team Falcons took the crown last year), securing strong chess players is a strategic move for these organizations.

Who Signed With Whom?

Magnus Carlsen

• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 1 The 16-time World Champion joined Team Liquid, excited to be part of a leading esports organization. Team Liquid's Co-CEO, Steve Arhane, hailed Carlsen as the "greatest chess player of all time."

Ian Nepomniachtchi

• Team: Aurora
• FIDE Ranking: 9 Russia's top chess player, known for his rapid chess prowess (including a 3rd place finish at the 2024 World Rapid Championship), joined Aurora Gaming, embracing the EWC's inclusion of chess.

Ding Liren

• Team: LGD
• FIDE Ranking: 17 Despite a recent setback, the legendary Chinese esports club LGD welcomed Ding Liren to their roster for the Esports World Cup.

Fabiano Caruana

• Team: Team Liquid
• FIDE Ranking: 2 Team Liquid further strengthened its chess lineup with American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana on a three-year contract.

Hikaru Nakamura

• Team: Team Falcons
• FIDE Ranking: 3 Five-time U.S. Chess Champion and Twitch star Hikaru Nakamura brings significant star power to Team Falcons.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

• Team: Vitality
• FIDE Ranking: 22 French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined Vitality, a prominent esports organization known for its success in CS:GO and Valorant.

Volodar Murzin

• Team: AG Global Esports
• FIDE Ranking: 70 Eighteen-year-old Volodar Murzin, winner of the 2024 World Rapid Championship, signed with AG Global Esports, bolstering their rapid chess capabilities.

Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik

• Team: NAVI
• FIDE Rankings: 11th, 6th, and 166th respectively NAVI significantly expanded its chess roster by signing grandmasters Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Alexander Botnik for the EWC.