Bengaluru: India is poised to host what may be the most significant chess tournament of the year, the FIDE World Cup. Although an official announcement is still pending, it is widely believed that India has been virtually confirmed as the venue for this prestigious FIDE event, scheduled to occur from October 31 to November 27, 2025.

This World Cup will hold considerable importance, as the top three finishers will secure their places in the 2026 Candidates tournament. The eight-player Candidates event will determine the challenger for Gukesh D in the 2026 World Championship match. Prominent Indian players, including Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa, will certainly be vying for a position in the Candidates, and the possibility of an all-Indian World Championship match next year remains a distinct possibility.

In the 2023 World Cup, four Indian players advanced to the quarterfinals, with Praggnanandhaa making a remarkable journey to the final, where he was defeated by the eventual champion, Magnus Carlsen. This achievement made him the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand to reach a World Cup final, thereby earning qualification for the Candidates.

While the specific location for the knockout tournament has yet to be determined, it would not be unexpected for either Delhi or Mumbai to be selected as the host city, given their excellent international connectivity and the anticipated influx of players from around the globe. The timing of the event in October-November may raise concerns regarding smog, particularly if Delhi is chosen, but it is noteworthy that the AICF had proposed Delhi as the host for the World Championship last November.

The last significant chess event held in India was the Chess Olympiad in 2022. Although India submitted two separate bids—one from the AICF and another from the Tamil Nadu government—to host the 2024 World Championship match between Gukesh D and Ding Liren in November, the bid was ultimately awarded to Singapore.

India previously hosted the 2002 World Cup in Hyderabad, which Anand won, earning it the title of the ‘second Chess World Cup.’ Anand also triumphed in the inaugural 24-player tournament.

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