Chess returns to Esports World Cup 2027

Chess, one of the world’s most popular strategy games, has been confirmed for the Esports World Cup 2027. For a third consecutive year, the world’s best Chess players head to EWC in pursuit of glory while aiming to defeat Magnus Carlsen, Esports World Cup’s two-time champion.

Once again, the world’s largest chess community Chess.com is teaming with the Esports Foundation to find out which players will head to EWC 2027, via a new-and-improved Champions Chess Tour 2026-2027 cycle. Since its debut in 2025, Chess has become a staple event for the Esports World Cup, attracting fans across the esports ecosystem and traditional Chess landscape as the game breaks boundaries by becoming a phenomenon both online and offline.

As Chess returns to the Esports World Cup, here’s what you need to know about an exciting 2026 edition, as well as the players to look out for going into EWC 2027.

Chess at Esports World Cup 2026: A new challenger appears

As the Esports World Cup made its way to Paris, all eyes were on whether Chess icon Magnus Carlsen would add another international trophy to his impressive resume. Victories against Andrey Esipenko and Hans Moke Niemann cemented his place in the Playoffs, and after defeating Nihal Sarin and EWC 2025 finalist Alireza Firouzja, the stage was set for Carlsen to defend his crown in the Grand Final.

Whilst Carlsen’s return to the EWC Grand Final was expected by many fans, who he would face on the other side of the board was not. Then 19-year-old Denis Lazavik showcased his technical prowess in the Playoffs, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov to set up a highly anticipated clash against Hikaru Nakamura.

Despite Carlsen and Nakamura sharing the same group at EWC 2026, as well as sharing some truths off the board, the duo would never get to face off against one another at the event. Lazavik would avenge his previous loss against Nakamura in the group stage by pouncing on mistakes and playing solid positional Chess to set up an unlikely final against Carlsen. The semi-final matchup also had major implications in the overall Club Championship as eventual EWC 26 Club champion AG.AL secured crucial points via Lazavik at the expense of Team Falcons’ Nakamura, a Club that was also contending for the title.

In the end, Carlsen once again proved why he is currently regarded as the best Chess player in the world. The Team Liquid representative successfully defended his EWC title by defeating Lazavik without dropping a single game to secure the 2-0 set victory.

Faces to Watch in Chess at EWC 2027

The Road to EWC is already underway to determine which chess superstars will head to Riyadh for Esports World Cup 2027, and here are some players to watch out for.

Magnus Carlsen

Esports World Cup two-time champion, Magnus Carlsen, is guaranteed to return to the board at next year’s event after lifting the trophy in Paris. The undisputed best Chess player in the world right now will be looking to achieve a historic three-peat of EWC championships, a feat that has only been achieved by Rocket League player Samy “dralii” Hajji.

Denis Lazavik

After his stunning performance at EWC 2026, one of the key stories heading into the Road to EWC will be whether Denis Lazavik can maintain momentum, qualify for EWC 2027, and go one step beyond to be crowned champion. Not only will Lazavik be looking to prove himself on the EWC stage again, but the player will now enter the competition as a member of the EWC 2026 Club champions AG.AL, adding more weight to his performances.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov

Fresh off the back of helping Uzbekistan win the Chess Olympiad 2026, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is a player to watch in the lead-up to Esports World Cup 2027. At Esports World Cup 2026, Abdusattorov lost out to finalist Lazavik in the quarterfinals over 5 games. However, only the final game crowned a victor after the two battled towards four consecutive draws. Currently ranked fifth in the Chess.com live global rankings, Abdusattorov has been a consistent force in the chess world for years after being the youngest ever World Rapid Chess Champion at 17. Perhaps an EWC 2027 trophy

Alongside the likes of Hikaru Nakamura and Carlsen, there are plenty of world-class Chess players who will be seeking victory at Esports World Cup 2027. Perhaps looking to emulate Lazavik’s run, the likes of Vincent Keymer, Wei Yi, and Nihal Sarinare potential dark horses at next year’s event. Meanwhile, established names such as Ian Nepomniatchi, Fabiano Caruana and Jan-Krzysztof Duda will be looking to make a statement. As the Road to EWC continues to heat up, it’ll become clearer who exactly the Esports World Cup contenders are.

India at Esports World Cup 2026

Having doubled its player contingent from the previous edition, India recorded its largest-ever representation in the Chess competition at Esports World Cup 2026, with four Grandmasters representing the country. Nihal Sarin, Aravindh Chithambaram and Pranesh M competed under the banner of esports and gaming content organization S8UL Esports, while Arjun Erigaisi represented Gen.G Esports. Both Nihal and Arjun progressed to the quarterfinals, further underlining India’s growing presence in the global competition.

The nation’s representation also extended beyond its players, with Indian esports organization GodLike Esports selected as an EWC Club Partner alongside S8UL Esports and represented in the Chess event by Hans Moke Niemann. The growing Indian presence reflects the country’s increasing footprint in the esports format of Chess, setting the stage for an even stronger showing at EWC 2027.

For more information, visit esportsworldcup.com and follow EWC on X and Instagram, and the Esports Foundation on LinkedIn.