India to host 2025 Chess World Cup from Oct 30 to Nov 27

India will host the 2025 Chess World Cup from October 30 to November 27, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) said on Monday. FIDE added that the host city will be announced later.

The tournament will feature 206 players in a knockout format, with the top three earning spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship.

Since 2021, the World Cup has followed a single-elimination format. Each round spans three days: two classical games, followed by tie-breaks on the third day if needed. The top 50 seeds receive byes in the first round, while seeds 51 to 206 compete in a top-half vs. reversed lower-half draw.

India has hosted several major chess events in recent years, including the 2022 Chess Olympiad, Tata Steel Chess India, the 2024 World Junior U20 Championships, and the fifth leg of the 2025 Women’s Grand Prix.

“We are excited to bring the World Cup to India, a country with strong support for chess,” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said.

“We expect high interest on-site and online and plan to hold several side events”, he added.