India To Host 2025 FIDE World Cup; PM Modi Says Country 'Delighted'

Goa will be hosting the FIDE World Cup 2025 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that India is delighted to be the host of the prestigious tournament which returns to the country after more than two decades.

The Prime Minister posted on X that Chess is gaining popularity among the youth and expressed confidence that the tournament will witness thrilling matches and showcase the brilliance of top players from around the world.

He said, "India is delighted to be hosting the prestigious FIDE World Cup 2025 and that too after over two decades."

FIDE World Cup

The 2025 FIDE World Cup will take place in Goa from October 30-November 27. The tournament is significant as it offers three coveted berths for next year's Candidates. The prize purse for the World Cup is USD two million.

The 206-member field features world champion D Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and R Praggnanandhaa among others. It is a knockout tournament where every round is win-or-go-home, making the World Cup one of the most dramatic tournaments on the calendar.

India's Rise in Chess

Indians have risen up dramatically in chess over the last few years. 2024 was a historic year in Indian chess. Last year, Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest World Champion. He is just the second Indian to do so after Viswanathan Anand. Indian open and women's teams both won the Chess Olympiad last year. The momentum continued: this July, the Women’s World Cup saw a standout performance by Divya Deshmukh, who lifted the trophy and captured worldwide attention

“India has become one of the strongest chess nations, with outstanding players and passionate fans," said Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President. "After the success of the FIDE Women’s World Cup held in Georgia earlier this year, we are proud to bring the FIDE World Cup to Goa. It will be a celebration of chess, and a unique experience for players and spectators from around the world. The representatives of 90+ countries are expected to take part, and it will be one of the most followed events in chess history.”