FIDE invites you to the 2025 World Corporate Chess Championship, an event that celebrates the meeting point of business and chess. Companies from around the globe are invited to form their teams and compete for the title of The Smartest Company in the World. The championship will unfold across three stages; online qualifiers, online knockout matches, and the over-the-board finals in Goa, India, held alongside the prestigious FIDE World Cup 2025.
The tournament will once again highlight how certain principles of chess; such as strategy, adaptability, and calculated decision-making, mirror the challenges of the business world. By bringing employees, executives, and business owners together over the chessboard, FIDE aims to create a global platform for corporate pride, networking, and competition.
Emil Sutovsky, FIDE CEO, reflected on the growth of the event:
“The World Corporate Chess Championship has grown from a novel idea into a global showcase, mixing serious business with serious chess. In 2021 due to the pandemic it was held entirely online, but in New York 2024, teams from top companies around the world – Google, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, UBS, to name a few, competed in this event on the most iconic stage. And now, in 2025, we’re aligning chess and corporate world even tighter, staging the final stage of the event in Goa, alongside the FIDE World Cup.
India is quickly becoming the beating heart of modern chess, and its role as an economic power is more and more visible – this double-stage event reflects the momentum.”
Who can participate?
The event welcomes teams representing any legally recognized company. Each team consists of four players and a captain, who may also be a player. Eligible participants include employees and board members who have been with the company since March 1, 2025, as well as business owners holding more than 10% of the company’s shares. Companies may register more than one team.
Championship format
The 2025 edition will be played in three stages:
- Online Qualifiers (Lichess.org, October 11–12)
- Online Knockout (Lichess.org, October 18)
- Finals (Over-the-board, Goa, November 14–16)
The Online Qualifiers will follow a Rapid Team Swiss System (7 rounds, 10 minutes + 3 seconds increment per move). Each team may enter only one qualifier. The top teams from each session will advance to the knockout stage.
The Online Knockout will be played as two-match duels with the same 10+3 time control. In the event of a tie, a sudden death game will decide the winner. Eight teams will advance to the finals.
The Finals in Goa will feature the eight knockout winners plus invited and wild card teams, for a maximum of 16. They will begin with a group stage before progressing to semifinals and a final.
The prize
The winning team will receive the official title of FIDE World Corporate Champion 2025 – The Smartest Company in the World.
All finalists will have flights and accommodation in Goa covered (for up to five people per team), receive VIP tickets to the FIDE World Cup, attend a gala dinner, and enjoy corporate exposure during the live finals. Teams reaching the knockout stage will also secure seats for an online simul against a participant of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026. Every registered team will receive a digital certificate and access to networking and training opportunities.
Registration and Fees
- Deadline: at least 48h before qualifiers
- Entry fee: €500 per team
- Multiple teams per company allowed
How to register
– Form your team
– Pay the entry fee (€500 per team) here:
tickettailor.com/events/worldcorporate2025
– After payment, you will receive an invitation code by email (it might take up to 24 hours to receive the code)
– Use this code to complete your team registration for one of the Qualifiers at: fwccc.lichess.ca
Is your company ready to step onto the global stage among the world’s chess elite? Register today for the FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship 2025.
Regulations FIDE 2025 World Corporate Chess Championship (PDF)
Official website: worldcorporate.fide.com/