Magnus Carlsen And Fabiano Caruana Sign With Esports Giant Team Liquid

Global esports powerhouse Team Liquid has announced the signings of not just one, but two superstars of chess. Five-time World Champion and world number-one Magnus Carlsen and the 2018 challenger, world number-two Fabiano Caruana will represent the club ahead of the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC).

“We are entering chess with the absolute best players because winning is critical to our mission,” said Team Liquid co-CEO Steve Arhancet in a press release.

You want details? Fine. I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet. What’s up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you could possibly imagine, and best of all, kids? I am… @TeamLiquid pic.twitter.com/NaE8rOvSuo

— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) February 14, 2025

Our second knight leaps into action ♞

Welcome to the GOAT, @MagnusCarlsen. pic.twitter.com/qgR5M1IYiO

— Team Liquid (@TeamLiquid) February 14, 2025

The world's top esports teams are scrambling to secure the top grandmasters before the largest gaming festival on the planet—set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 31 to August 3.

GMs Ding Liren (LGD Gaming), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Team Vitality), Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G) and Volodar Murzin (All Gamers Global) have all been signed by esports organizations in the past week, and more are expected to follow.

Now Team Liquid has landed a major coup by acquiring both Carlsen and Caruana, two of the world's greatest players in the last decade. "Team Liquid is clearly the team to beat at this time, but I still see a lot of top players unsigned, so it remains to be seen who the favorite truly is heading to the EWC," Chess.com CCO IM Danny Rensch said in a comment.

The news comes one day after Team Liquid, which is based in the Netherlands, announced the signing of Caruana on Thursday, with their signing video ending with an empty seat as a teaser.

"We've signed the greatest chess player of all time in Magnus, and I could not be more thrilled. This is the biggest signing in Team Liquid's history and a dream player for any team," said Arhancet of Team Liquid. "There aren't many athletes who transcend their game the way Magnus does. He is in a class all to himself, and we're honored that he has chosen us as his home in chess' esports era."

There aren't many athletes who transcend their game the way Magnus does.

—Steve Arhancet, co-CEO Team Liquid

Carlsen also expressed his excitement about his first partnership with an esports organization: "It is so exciting to be a part of what I believe is the biggest and best esports team in the world. As one of the biggest names in chess myself, partnering up with the best team and a fun brand is a perfect fit."

The 34-year-old added: "In this digital age, we're finding that chess in an esports setting is tremendously exciting, and that's where I see the future of chess in faster formats. I look forward to chess players becoming staples of esports teams from now on,” said Carlsen on joining a team for the first time in his career.

In this digital age, we're finding that chess in an esports setting is tremendously exciting, and that's where I see the future of chess in faster formats.

—Magnus Carlsen

Meanwhile Caruana, the current world number-two and four-time U.S. Champion, also highlighted the significance of the deal: "I am really excited to join Team Liquid, an organization with a long heritage of success. We have a lot of the same values in terms of integrity, competitive drive, striving for excellence—and of course, winning. Playing for a team like Liquid and being part of a wider community can add something new for chess, and bring the game to a wider audience."

Very excited to be part of @TeamLiquid and looking forward to the future! https://t.co/KTzi029PhE

— Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) February 13, 2025

"Fabi is a seasoned competitor who has adapted brilliantly to new formats through hard work and dedication. He is universally respected and a fantastic ambassador for Team Liquid. We look forward to working with him and bringing fresh chess content to both old and new fans alike," Arhancet said.

Team Liquid is one of the most successful esports organizations in the world, best known for its dominance in games like Dota 2 and League of Legends. In total they have amassed more than $54 million in prize money, the most in esports history by a large margin.

The team was founded in 2000 and is based in the Netherlands, but is now owned by U.S. entertainment and sports management company aXiomatic. Among the investors are NBA Hall of Famer Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, and AOL co-founder Steve Case.

Prize money in the Esports World Cup is not only for individual sports, but also for overall placement in every game. Esports organizations are signing up players in as many games as they can in order to get a shot at the grand prize. 

More than 200 esports clubs competed in last year's Esports World Cup. The winner, Team Falcons, cashed in the $7 million first prize, ahead of Team Liquid, which took home $4 million. 

While exact figures for Carlsen and Caruana’s deals have not been disclosed, top-tier esports players can earn anywhere from five figures to several million dollars annually, depending on their visibility, marketability, and tournament success. In addition to earning lucrative contracts with esports organization, the world's chess stars will have a shot at the $1.5 million prize pool in the chess tournament.

Carlsen and Caruana, fresh from competing in the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, will first represent Team Liquid in the $150,000 Chessable Masters, which begins on February 16 and serves as the first of two qualifying events in the 2025 Champions Chess Tour. The top-12 players from the tour qualify for the EWC.