Registrations Are Open For The Esports World Cup Last Chance Qualifier In Riyadh
Players can now register for their last shot at making it to this year's Esports World Cup (EWC). Featuring a whopping $1,500,000 prize fund, the inaugural chess event in the Esports World Cup arena is attracting some of the world's strongest players.
With 12 out of 16 spots already taken, players only have one more chance to be a part of this historic event. The Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) will take place in Riyadh from July 24 to 26 and will serve as the final qualification path for the four remaining spots at the EWC. Registrations are now open for players who want to participate:
Players who register will join GMs Oleksandr Bortnyk, Alexey Sarana, Aravindh Chithambaram, and Andrew Tang, who all won a trip to the LCQ through DreamHack Dallas.
The LCQ will feature a Swiss and a double-elimination knockout phase. The top four players from the knockout will earn their spot at the EWC event in Riyadh, which starts on July 29.
With 12 of the strongest players in the world already qualified to play in the EWC, expectations for the event are high. Since organizers announced chess as part of the EWC, several prominent esports organizations have rushed to sign top players to their rosters. These players will compete not only for personal glory but also to help their teams earn points and climb the EWC Club Championship.
Of the top 10 players in the world, eight of them are flying to Riyadh to play for the Cup. Spearheading the field and representing Team Liquid is world number-one GM Magnus Carlsen, who topped the Champions Chess Tour leaderboard to guarantee his spot. After winning just about every title a chess player possibly could, Carlsen will now try to add a fresh new trophy to his collection.
Our second knight leaps into action ♞
— Team Liquid (@TeamLiquid) February 14, 2025
Welcome to the GOAT, @MagnusCarlsen. pic.twitter.com/qgR5M1IYiO
Joining the fray is world number-two GM Hikaru Nakamura. A powerhouse in the game, Nakamura is also largely responsible for popularizing chess in the online arena. The biggest chess streamer on earth, he was also the first professional player to sign a deal with an esports organization back in 2020. He's now representing the current EWC champions, Team Falcons, along with French GM Alireza Firouzja.
The next move is clear—@GMHikaru joins Team Falcons. 🦅♟
— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) February 17, 2025
Welcome to the nest! pic.twitter.com/y5VcrOiRzY
The other qualified participants include GMs Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora Gaming), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Team Vitality), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Twisted Minds), Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G Esports), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (NAVI), Vladislav Artemiev (Team Spirit), Vladimir Fedoseev, Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid), and Wei Yi (Weibo Gaming).
Tune in to Chess.com's Twitch and YouTube channels on July 24 to keep up with all the action and find out who makes it to the EWC!
Who do you think will win the first chess title in the history of the EWC? Let us know in the comments below!
