‘Big transition’: Esports World Cup CEO welcomes chess to 2025 lineup in Riyadh

RIYADH: In a groundbreaking move in the gaming industry, the 2025 Esports World Cup — taking place from July 31-Aug. 3 in Riyadh — has officially integrated chess into its lineup, marking a significant step in bridging traditional and digital sports.

With chess experiencing a global resurgence in online popularity, the move highlights the growing convergence of strategy, entertainment and competitive gaming.

According to Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup, incorporating chess was a natural evolution in fulfilling EWC’s commitment to showcasing the world’s best video games.

“Esports World companies promise to have the best video games in the world to be part of the Esports World Cup overall. And if you look at chess, the original board game is probably the oldest game that’s still out there and being played at scale,” he told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “It is popular almost everywhere in the world, and it had a big transition and a big growth rate in the last five years on the Internet, in video games.”

With platforms such as Chess.com redefining the sport’s accessibility and chess influencers such as Gotham Chess and Hikaru Nakamura drawing millions of viewers, the crossover between traditional chess and esports has become undeniable.

Beyond its historical significance, chess aligns perfectly with the core elements of esports — competition, strategy and global reach. Reichert highlighted its thriving competitive scene and how its digital adaptation aligns with the Esports World Cup’s club-based format.

“It has a hugely competitive ecosystem across the world, with participants who are stars and celebrities in their own right. It’s been played as a video game, and a lot of the qualifications are