Riyadh, Nov 12 (IANS) Chess has been confirmed for the Esports World Cup 2027. For the third consecutive year, the world’s best chess players will head to the EWC in pursuit of glory, aiming to defeat Magnus Carlsen, the Esports World Cup’s two-time champion.
Since its debut in 2025, Chess has become a staple event at the Esports World Cup, attracting fans across the esports ecosystem and the traditional Chess landscape as the game breaks boundaries, becoming a phenomenon both online and offline.
Having doubled its player contingent from the previous edition, India recorded its largest-ever representation in the Chess competition at Esports World Cup 2026, with four Grandmasters.
Nihal Sarin, Aravindh Chithambaram and Pranesh M competed under the banner of esports and gaming content organisation S8UL Esports, while Arjun Erigaisi represented Gen.G Esports.
India’s representation also extended beyond its players, with Indian esports organisation GodLike Esports selected as an EWC Club Partner alongside S8UL Esports and represented in the Chess event by Hans Moke Niemann. The growing Indian presence reflects the country’s increasing footprint in the esports format of Chess, setting the stage for an even stronger showing at EWC 2027.
The world’s largest chess community, Chess.com, is teaming up with the Esports Foundation to determine which players will head to EWC 2027 through a new-and-improved Champions Chess Tour 2026-2027 cycle.
The Road to EWC is already underway to determine which chess superstars will head to Riyadh for Esports World Cup 2027.
Esports World Cup two-time champion, Magnus Carlsen, is guaranteed to return to the board at next year’s event after lifting the trophy in Paris. The undisputed best Chess player in the world right now will be looking to achieve a historic three-peat of EWC championships, a feat only Rocket League player Samy “dralii” Hajji has achieved.
After his stunning performance at EWC 2026, one of the key stories heading into the Road to EWC will be whether Denis Lazavik can maintain momentum, qualify for EWC 2027, and go one step beyond to be crowned champion. Not only will Lazavik be looking to prove himself on the EWC stage again, but he will also enter the competition as a member of the EWC 2026 Club Champions AG.AL, adding more weight to his performances.
Fresh off helping Uzbekistan win the Chess Olympiad 2026, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is a player to watch in the lead-up to the Esports World Cup 2027. At Esports World Cup 2026, Abdusattorov lost out to finalist Lazavik in the quarterfinals over 5 games.
Currently ranked fifth in the Chess.com live global rankings, Abdusattorov has been a consistent force in the chess world for years, having been the youngest-ever World Rapid Chess Champion at 17. Perhaps an EWC 2027 trophy will be the 22-year-old’s next accolade.
–IANS
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