Goa is set to host the Chess World Cup 2025 from October 30 to November 27, marking the tournament’s return to India after more than two decades. The last time it was held in the country was in 2002, when Indian legend Viswanathan Anand triumphed over Uzbekistan’s Rustam Kasimdzhanov in the final. This year, the event promises to be a historic spectacle, bringing the world’s top talents to India’s coastal state.
The competition will feature 206 participants competing for a staggering USD 2,000,000 prize pool, making it one of the most lucrative events in the chess calendar. Renowned for its high-stakes, knockout format, the World Cup is regarded as one of the sport’s most thrilling and unforgiving tournaments. Players must navigate intense head-to-head battles where a single mistake could end their campaign.
Spanning eight rounds of elimination, the format will see the top 50 seeds receive a bye into the second round, while the remaining contenders fight from the very start. Each matchup consists of two classical games, ensuring the depth and rigor of traditional chess, with rapid and blitz tie-breakers in place to resolve deadlocks. The blend of endurance, strategy, and nerves of steel ensures the World Cup remains a true test of the game’s finest.
