12-day Global Chess League to begin on June 21

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) & Tech Mahindra have announced the launch dates and format of Global Chess League (GCL). The 12- day Global Chess League (GCL) will begin on June 21, 2023, and end on July 2, 2023. GCL will be played in ten round-robin matches, with six teams competing (six players in each team), followed by a final match between the top two teams. During the course of the league, a variety of events, such as chess tournaments, logo announcement event, etc. would be hosted globally.

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GCL is the world's first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players competing in a unique joint team format. GCL will feature male and female chess champions competing on the same team. The league's joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being the only joint team in a professional sports league.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. Constituted as a non-governmental institution, it was recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999. FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne, but it was initially founded in 1924 in Paris under the motto “Gens una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”). It is now one of the largest, encompassing 199 countries as affiliate members, in the form of National Chess Federations.

Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and Indian chess legend, say, ‘It is indeed a momentous occasion for the world of chess to stage a Global Chess League with players participating worldwide. I am confident that the league will bring a new perspective to chess and chess viewership. Looking forward to collaborating with FIDE and Tech Mahindra to make the 12-day GCL a huge success.’

‘We are proud to partner with FIDE, GCL is a unique opportunity to promote this remarkable game of strategy, intellect, and rigor which we feel is strongly intertwined with business. Tech Mahindra will leverage its expertise in technology to provide chess fans with a unique experience.’ says Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer & Head – Growth, Tech Mahindra