The world’s largest and first franchise-based chess league will be held in Dubai in association with Dubai Sports Council, the league’s Host Partner.
Dubai
Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between FIDE and Tech Mahindra, announced Dubai as the venue for the inaugural edition in a press conference in the presence of key dignitaries.
The world’s largest and first franchise-based chess league will be held in Dubai in association with Dubai Sports Council, the league’s Host Partner.
The first edition of the Global Chess League, set to take place from June 21 to July 2, 2023, will feature six teams with six players each, including a minimum of two female players and one icon player per team. The six teams will compete in a round-robin format where each team will play 10 matches.
Talking about hosting the inaugural edition of Global Chess League, Saeed Hareb, Secretary General, Dubai Sports Council, said, “Hosting the Global Chess League is a momentous occasion for us. FIDE and Tech Mahindra’s vision for the league will truly bring the sport of chess to a new audience and help existing fans relate to the sport more than ever before. Global Chess League is a first-of-its-kind tournament with a team vs team format that will bring together the best chess players from across the world, representing major countries and providing a unique experience to chess fans globally. We look forward to welcoming champions from across the world to Dubai, the growing sports capital.”
The Global Chess League will draw the world’s attention to a new chess format and create an ecosystem for the sport, providing a platform for champions worldwide to showcase the potential of chess.
Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion, and Deputy President, FIDE, said, “Dubai has been attracting various sporting events. The World Chess Championship in Dubai in 2021 during the Dubai Expo was a big success. Similarly, I believe the Global Chess League will mark a new beginning in fan experience.
The first edition of the Global Chess League, set to take place from June 21 to July 2, 2023, will feature six teams with six players each, including a minimum of two female players and one icon player per team. The six teams will compete in a round-robin format where each team will play 10 matches.
Each match will feature six boards that will be played simultaneously. The top two teams will qualify for the final on July 2, 2023, and be crowned the World Champion Franchise Team.
