India to host third edition of Global Chess League in December; adds to country's busy chess calendar

India will host the third edition of the Global Chess League (GCL) from December 13-24, 2025. The tournament, featuring six franchises with six players each including both male and female competitors, will conclude just before the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Qatar.The Global Chess League was hosted in Dubai for its inaugural edition and London last year. The tournament follows a double round-robin format where each franchise competes against others twice during the event.Previous seasons of the GCL have attracted top chess players globally, including former world champions Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, and Hou Yifan. Other notable participants have included rising stars Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, along with established players Alireza Firouzja, Hikaru Nakamura, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.The 2025 calendar marks a significant increase in international chess events being hosted in India. The country has already successfully organised several major tournaments this year, including the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament, the Pune Women's Grand Prix event, and currently the Chennai Grandmasters event.India's chess calendar for 2025 will be further enriched by hosting the FIDE World Cup, scheduled from October 30 to November 27. The host city for this prestigious event is yet to be announced.The growing prominence of India in international chess events faced a minor setback when a planned event of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour had to be cancelled. The organisers were unable to secure sufficient funding from Indian corporate entities to proceed with the tournament.