Chess Returns To Esports World Cup In 2027 As Carlsen Targets Third Title

GM Magnus Carlsen will have the chance to make it three titles in three appearances as chess was confirmed for the 2027 Esports World Cup (EWC) today. The event returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next summer, with qualification already underway through a revamped Champions Chess Tour (CCT).

Carlsen is the only player guaranteed a place as the defending champion, having cashed in for $250,000 and won his second title after a dominant victory against GM Denis Lazavik in Paris this August. The Norwegian also won the inaugural chess event in Riyadh in 2025 after defeating GM Alireza Firouzja in the final.

Patience, precision, and pressure in every move. The battle of minds returns with Chess at EWC27. ♟️ https://t.co/5jcqo52iN5

For his potential challengers, the main route to Riyadh runs through the Champions Chess Tour, which began on September 1 and concludes on May 25. Twelve EWC places will be awarded through a leaderboard combining results from Titled Tuesday, the Speed Chess Championship, and the Chess.com Open.

The biggest change is the removal of the automatic qualification for top-three finishers in the Speed Chess Championship and Chess.com Open. Those events will contribute points toward the overall standings, with winners earning 150 points.

Organizers have separately announced a satellite qualifying program that includes chess. Winners of approved satellite events will earn entry into an EWC Last Chance Qualifier, where they will compete for main-event places. Details of the participating tournaments and available places are still to come.

In the second edition of EWC, Carlsen, who represents Team Liquid, defeated GMs Nihal Sarin and Firouzja in the knockout stages before beating Lazavik 3-1 in each of the final's two sets.

The 19-year-old Lazavik, playing for All Gamers (AG), provided one of the biggest stories of the 2026 tournament by eliminating GMs Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Hikaru Nakamura to reach the final, earning $190,000.

In the EWC, the results also matter beyond the chess tournament as players earn points for their esports organizations in an overall Club Championship. Lazavik's runner-up finish earned 750 points for AG, which went on to win the $7 million club title. His semifinal victory also denied points to rival Team Falcons, which is Nakamura's team.

Specific dates for the events, a prize fund, and the full format for the 2027 chess event have not yet been announced. For now, Carlsen is watching the online race to join him in Riyadh.