Panaji, Goa: D Gukesh, the World Chess Champion, will be in charge of the Indian team at the FIDE World Cup 2025, which will be held in Goa from October 31 to November 27, 2025. The 19-year-old prodigy, who became India’s youngest world champion earlier this year, is looking forward to going back to a place that has special memories from his early chess career.
“I’m definitely looking forward to the World Cup. I love playing anywhere in India, and I have some amazing recollections of Goa. I have played in few junior events there. Gukesh stated, “So, looking forward to being there,” according to a FIDE press release.
Gukesh last played in Goa in 2019 at the Goa International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament. He came in 10th place, even though he was one of the lower-seeded players at the start of the tournament.
Gukesh is back as the reigning World Champion and top seed, and he can’t wait to make this another memorable chapter in his career. The event will take place at a premium resort in North Goa and will have 206 players from 82 countries competing for a portion of the $2 million prize pool.
The FIDE World Cup, one of the most famous chess competitions in the world, is taking place in India for the first time in 23 years. The top three finishers will get a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. This tournament will decide who will challenge for the next World Chess Championship.
Gukesh got a bye in the first round and is likely to play Kazybez Nogerbek of Kazakhstan in the second round.
Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri is one of the best international players. He has already qualified for the 2026 Candidates through the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025. Giri, on the other hand, said he will still play in Goa and called the World Cup “a great event.”
“The World Cup is a great event, and I’m going to play it no matter what.” “It’s fun to play,” Giri stated, adding that “the qualification format for the Candidates is always tricky.”
Giri thought back to his earlier performances and remembered almost qualifying for the World Championship cycle ten years ago.
“I got very close once, in 2015, but I lost the semi-final to Peter Svidler,” he remarked.
The FIDE World Cup has been a knock-out competition since 2005. So far, only Viswanathan Anand of India and Levon Aronian of Armenia have won it twice.
As chess lovers get ready for the Goa show, all eyes will be on Gukesh, the local hero who became a world champion. He wants to create another brilliant moment in Indian chess.