Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin has clinched his spot at the prestigious Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, becoming the second Indian after Arjun Erigaisi to qualify for the main event.
Nihal’s Nail-Biting Qualification
Nihal Sarin’s journey to the EWC was a dramatic one. After missing out on direct qualification through two previous attempts, he had to fight his way through the Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh.
Representing the Indian esports organization S8UL, Sarin showcased his remarkable skill by reaching the finals of the Winner’s Bracket. His crucial victory over Russia’s Andrey Esipenko secured his coveted spot in the main event.
Other Stars Joining the Roster
Nihal wasn’t the only one battling for a spot in the Last Chance Qualifier. Joining him were seasoned Grandmasters Anish Giri, Javokhir Sindarov, and Levon Aronian, who also successfully punched their tickets to complete the 16-player field for the main event.
Fellow Indian prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa came incredibly close to qualifying, but a tough Armageddon loss to Anish Giri in their matchup meant he narrowly missed out.
How the Main Event Field Took Shape
The majority of the EWC chess roster was decided earlier through the two-leg Champions Chess Tour (CCT) 2025. The first event, the Chessable Masters, saw five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, world No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura, and reigning co-world blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi secure their places by finishing in the top three.
Nine more players, including India’s Arjun Erigaisi, confirmed their spots through the second leg of the CCT, the Chess.com Classic 2025. This set the stage for the highly anticipated tournament.
What is the Esports World Cup?
The Esports World Cup is a massive global event that brings together top esports clubs and players from across 24 popular gaming titles. The 2025 edition, set to take place in Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, marks a significant moment as chess will be featured as an online event for the first time.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2024 edition, the 2025 EWC is poised to be the largest multi-title esports tournament in history. It will feature over 2,000 players, more than 200 teams, and an astonishing prize pool of $70 million (approximately ₹602 crore).
The Elite 16: Qualified Players for EWC Chess
- Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)
- Jan Krzysztof Duda (Poland)
- Arjun Erigaisi (India)
- Vladislav Artemiev (Russia)
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)
- Alireza Firouzja (France)
- Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia)
- Fabiano Caruana (USA)
- Wei Yi (China)
- Nihal Sarin (India)
- Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan)
- Anish Giri (Netherlands)
- Levon Aronian (USA)
With two Indian Grandmasters now confirmed, anticipation is building for the Esports World Cup 2025, where the world’s best chess minds will battle it out on the global stage.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin has clinched his spot at the prestigious Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, becoming the second Indian after Arjun Erigaisi to qualify for the main event.
Nihal’s Nail-Biting Qualification
Nihal Sarin’s journey to the EWC was a dramatic one. After missing out on direct qualification through two previous attempts, he had to fight his way through the Last Chance Qualifier in Riyadh.
Representing the Indian esports organization S8UL, Sarin showcased his remarkable skill by reaching the finals of the Winner’s Bracket. His crucial victory over Russia’s Andrey Esipenko secured his coveted spot in the main event.
Other Stars Joining the Roster
Nihal wasn’t the only one battling for a spot in the Last Chance Qualifier. Joining him were seasoned Grandmasters Anish Giri, Javokhir Sindarov, and Levon Aronian, who also successfully punched their tickets to complete the 16-player field for the main event.
Fellow Indian prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa came incredibly close to qualifying, but a tough Armageddon loss to Anish Giri in their matchup meant he narrowly missed out.
How the Main Event Field Took Shape
The majority of the EWC chess roster was decided earlier through the two-leg Champions Chess Tour (CCT) 2025. The first event, the Chessable Masters, saw five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, world No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura, and reigning co-world blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi secure their places by finishing in the top three.
Nine more players, including India’s Arjun Erigaisi, confirmed their spots through the second leg of the CCT, the Chess.com Classic 2025. This set the stage for the highly anticipated tournament.
What is the Esports World Cup?
The Esports World Cup is a massive global event that brings together top esports clubs and players from across 24 popular gaming titles. The 2025 edition, set to take place in Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, marks a significant moment as chess will be featured as an online event for the first time.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2024 edition, the 2025 EWC is poised to be the largest multi-title esports tournament in history. It will feature over 2,000 players, more than 200 teams, and an astonishing prize pool of $70 million (approximately ₹602 crore).
The Elite 16: Qualified Players for EWC Chess
- Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)
- Jan Krzysztof Duda (Poland)
- Arjun Erigaisi (India)
- Vladislav Artemiev (Russia)
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)
- Alireza Firouzja (France)
- Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia)
- Fabiano Caruana (USA)
- Wei Yi (China)
- Nihal Sarin (India)
- Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan)
- Anish Giri (Netherlands)
- Levon Aronian (USA)
With two Indian Grandmasters now confirmed, anticipation is building for the Esports World Cup 2025, where the world’s best chess minds will battle it out on the global stage.
