# Chess to continue as title at Esports World Cup 2027 alongside DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike
_Chess returns for a third straight edition as the Esports World Cup plans to return to Riyadh in 2027._

- Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in)
- Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/chess-to-continue-as-title-at-esports-world-cup-2027-alongside-dota-2-and
- Author: Atul, Editor (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/atul)
- Published: 2026-11-12T09:20:22.061Z
- Section: Esports
- Topics: Magnus Carlsen, Esports World Cup, Chess.com, S8UL Esports, Gen.G Esports
## Summary

The Esports Foundation has confirmed chess will remain part of the Esports World Cup in 2027. The game joins Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2 and Fatal Fury, with qualification via the Champions Chess Tour 2026-27.

## Key takeaways

- Chess will be part of the Esports World Cup 2027, announced by the Esports Foundation
- The event is planned in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after the 2026 edition moved to Paris
- Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2 and Fatal Fury will also continue at the tournament
- India fielded four grandmasters at EWC 2026, its largest-ever chess contingent
- Magnus Carlsen is the two-time defending champion

## Article

Chess will continue as a title at the Esports World Cup in 2027, the Esports Foundation announced on Thursday. The game joins Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2 and Fatal Fury among titles set to continue at the tournament.

## Third consecutive edition

Chess will feature at the Esports World Cup 2027 for a third consecutive edition. The fourth edition of the tournament will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after this year's event was moved to Paris due to regional conflicts. Magnus Carlsen is the two-time champion, and top players will attempt to dethrone him.

## Qualification pathway

The Esports Foundation will team up with Chess.com to determine players for EWC 2027 through a new Champions Chess Tour 2026-2027 cycle. No dates or venues for qualifiers were given.

## India's representation

India fielded its largest-ever chess contingent at EWC 2026, with four Grandmasters competing in the event. Nihal Sarin, Aravindh Chithambaram and Pranesh M represented esports organisation S8UL Esports, while Arjun Erigaisi competed for Gen.G Esports. Both Nihal and Arjun reached the quarterfinals.

## Club partners and past results

India's presence extended beyond its players, with esports organisation GodLike Esports joining S8UL Esports as an official EWC Club Partner. GodLike was represented in the chess competition by Hans Niemann.

At this year's edition in Paris, 19-year-old Denis Lazavik emerged as one of the strongest challengers to Carlsen. However, the Norwegian successfully defended his crown. Representing Team Liquid, Carlsen defeated Lazavik 2-0 in the final without dropping a single game throughout the match.

## About the Esports World Cup

The Esports World Cup is an annual international esports tournament series run by the Esports Foundation, a nonprofit organization.

It is considered the largest professional esports event in the world in terms of total prize pool and number of game titles represented, with upwards of US$70 million awarded across individual tournament prize pools, rewards for teams that qualify to events, most valuable player awards, and the Club Championship.

The 2025 edition featured competitions across more than 25 game titles and 28 club teams. According to the event's organizers, the 2025 event brought together more than 2,500 participants from 100 countries.

### Indian grandmasters and organisations at EWC 2026

| Player | Organisation |
| --- | --- |
| Nihal Sarin | S8UL Esports |
| Aravindh Chithambaram | S8UL Esports |
| Pranesh M | S8UL Esports |
| Arjun Erigaisi | Gen.G Esports |
| Hans Niemann | GodLike Esports |

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- [LVCVA votes on $2 million deal for 2028 Counter-Strike Major in Las Vegas](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/lvcva-votes-on-2-million-deal-for-2028-counter-strike-major-in-las-vegas)

### Sources

- [Sportstar](https://sportstar.thehindu.com/other-sports/esports-world-cup-2027-chess-continues-as-title-alongside-counter-strike-dota-2-fatal-fury/article71692727.ece)
- [sports.ndtv.com](https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/chess-to-remain-on-esports-world-cup-roster-in-2027-12315921)
- [Photo: Timrael, Pixabay Content License (Pixabay)](https://pixabay.com/photos/gaming-computer-gaming-pc-6903836/)
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