RIYADH: The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, led by CEO Ralf Reichert, has integrated chess into its competition lineup. Chess has been officially added as a competitive discipline, marking a historic move in merging traditional board games with esports.
The tournament will take place in Riyadh in 2025 as part of the growing global esports scene with a three-year partnership ensuring chess remains a long-term fixture.
Chess’s rising online popularity and its alignment with esports’ strategic and competitive nature make it a natural fit for EWC. Chess will be played in a fast-paced 10/0 ultra-blitz format, ensuring intense, high-energy matches suitable for an esports audience.
Reichert emphasized the sport’s digital transformation, with top grandmasters like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura joining esports teams. With 25 total game disciplines in 2025, the EWC aims to push the boundaries of gaming competition, making chess a key part of its evolution.
