The first franchise-based chess league in the world – GCL – has entered its third season with a grand opening ceremony at the historic Royal Opera House in Mumbai.
Is chess art, sport or entertainment? The game, long seen as an individual competition played in silence behind closed doors, is undergoing a transformative change both on and off the board. The Global Chess League – a bold attempt by TechMahidnra and FIDE to make chess into a billion-dollar fan-based league sport – is driving the charge. Capitalising on India’s rise as a global chess powerhouse, the third edition of GCL takes place in the country’s financial and entertainment capital – Mumbai.
A royal ceremony for the royal game
The Royal Opera House in Mumbai – whose foundations were laid in 1909 – is a unique architectural jewel in Asia, regarded as India’s only remaining traditional opera theater. With extravagant interiors mixing baroque and Indo-European influences, its auditorium ceiling provides an ideal acoustic reception from every part of the building.
After opera performances, live music and film projections, the Royal Opera House will for the first time be the venue of a global chess event.
The opening ceremony included the unveiling of the GCL Season 3 trophy. The ceremony was led by Anand Mahindra, Chairperson of the Mahindra Group, whose presence underlined the league’s ambition and growing global stature. He was joined by chess legends Viswanathan Anand, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa R, Harika Dronavalli, Volodar Murzin, and Alireza Firouzja.
A trophy with a story
The trophy itself tells part of the story of what GCL wants to be. Designed by Pininfarina, the 95-year-old Italian firm that helped shape Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, it brings the language of fast cars and industrial design into the world of chess.
Sharp, rising lines and polished metal give a sense of speed and movement. It is a fitting symbol for a rapid league that wants to grow quickly and speak to a wider public. For the next ten days, every move played in Mumbai will be made with that silver shape in mind.
GCL as part of FIDE’s strategic effort
For the International Chess Federation, the Global Chess League fits into a wider effort to bring chess to new audiences.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich did not hide his support for the project. “The Global Chess League has firmly established itself as one of the premier destinations for chess, bringing elite competition to a global audience in a fresh, modern, and exciting format. The GCL has an important role in FIDE’s strategic effort to popularize the sport and make it more attractive to the broader audience. I am certain that Season 3 will continue this evolution, showcasing the world’s best players and reinforcing FIDE’s commitment to making top-level chess more engaging, inclusive, and globally accessible.”
The competition and the concept
Season three keeps the basic structure that made the Global Chess League stand out from the start. Six franchises will compete across 34 matches, played over ten high-intensity days in a double round-robin, followed by a third-place playoff and the Grand Finale on 23 December. Every encounter is a six-board clash with a fixed mix of men, women and prodigies.
Season 3 continues to feature six teams and bring the world’s elite onto a single stage. Among the big names headlining the season are Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hou Yifan, Zhu Jiner, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Alexandra Kosteniuk, alongside India’s finest, headlined by the former world champion and first Indian GM Vishwanathan Anand.
Reigning two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings, led by Alireza Firouzja, Vidit Gujrathi, and Zhu Jiner, return with their sights set on an unprecedented hat-trick. Speaking at the pre-tournament press conference, Akash Premsen, CEO, Triveni Sports and Team Manager Triveni Continental Kings, said, “Coming in as two-time champions is a privilege, but it also raises expectations. The field is stronger than ever, and every match will demand precision. Our squad is experienced, balanced, and hungry, and we’re fully committed to defending the title with the same discipline that has defined our journey so far.”
Kailash Kandpal, CEO, Ganges Grandmasters, framed his team’s approach in simple terms. “We’ve built our Season three squad around a solid core. The league continues to raise the competitive bar, and our focus is on consistency, teamwork, and delivering high-quality chess across all ten group-stage matches.”
For PBG Alaskan Knights, World Champion Gukesh D and Arjun Erigaisi form a powerful spine. Team owner Punit Balan said, “With Gukesh and Arjun spearheading our lineup, competing in India adds a special layer of energy and expectation. Both are world-class talents, and the atmosphere here elevates every move. We believe our blend of youth, experience, and momentum positions us strongly for a deep run this season.”
The FYERS American Gambits (who have added “FYERS” to their name), with Hikaru Nakamura as their icon, promise an aggressive, modern style. Their co-owner and CEO, Prachura PP, put it this way. “The Global Chess League has transformed how fans experience elite chess, and being part of that evolution is a tremendous opportunity. Our roster is dynamic and versatile, and we’re excited to bring an aggressive, ambitious style of play to a league that rewards bold, modern chess.”
Alpine SG Pipers, fronted by Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanadhaa R and Anish Giri with Hou Yifan leading the women’s board, and UpGrad Mumba Masters, led by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Wesley So, complete a lineup that is strong on every board. “The calibre of players in Season three is exceptional, and we’re proud to contribute to that standard. With a roster built for high-quality, resilient chess, our aim is to deliver consistent performances from the opening weekend through to the knockout stages,” said Rohan Gupta, owner of Alpine SG Pipers.
For the home franchise, UpGrad Mumba Masters, playing in Mumbai adds extra motivation. CEO Suhail Chandhok said, “This season features one of the most competitive fields we’ve seen, with world-class talent across every board. For us, that’s the challenge and the motivation. We’ve assembled a squad capable of matching any team, with a roster filled with world champions across chess formats, and we’re looking forward to testing ourselves against the very best, especially right here at home in Mumbai.”
GCL’s format keeps interest alive on every board. Every game point counts for the standings. Even if a team loses a match, a win or a draw on a single board can still push them closer to the playoffs.
Innovation at the heart of the league
From the start, the Global Chess League has presented itself as a laboratory for new ideas in professional chess. The rules and broadcast are adjusted each year after consultations with players, teams, fans, FIDE and sponsors. Commissioner Gourav Rakshit summarised this approach: “As we open Season 3 in Mumbai, the Global Chess League continues to raise the bar for what a modern, global sports league can be. Our vision has always been to create a stage where the world’s best compete alongside the game’s brightest young talents, and this season delivers exactly that. We look forward to ten days of exceptional chess.”
On the sporting side, Season 3 keeps the rapid time control, but the organisers have introduced a two-second increment after move forty. The target is to maintain tension for viewers while giving players enough time to convert better positions on the board. Scheduling and order of play have also been refined to balance fairness and spectacle.
For spectators at the Royal Opera House there will be real-time commentary delivered through personal headphones, AI-powered evaluation bars on large screens and dynamic visual breakdowns of key moments. Team booths on stage will allow reserves and captains to follow all six games together and to react as a group.
Outside the main hall, the fan zone turns the event into a festival. A live studio placed in the middle of the zone will host the broadcast team. Visitors will see commentators and analysts working in front of them, not hidden in a back room. The zone will also host chess camps, small tournaments and activities aimed at new and casual fans, who may know the players from short clips on social media but have never watched a full live game.
Digital innovation is another pillar. A new GCL app lets fans build fantasy lineups, predict moves and follow statistics from their phones. There are also virtual tools that let users explore the venue and experience the feel of the event even if they cannot travel to Mumbai.
Why India, why now
India’s rise as a global chess powerhouse forms a natural backdrop to GCL’s arrival in Mumbai. World Champion Gukesh D, alongside fellow standard-bearers Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi, headline a generation that has transformed the country into one of the sport’s most dynamic forces.
At the press conference, GCL Chairperson Peeyush Dubey linked that rise to the league’s journey. He said, “The Global Chess League was conceived to reimagine the sport for a new generation, and Season three reflects the significant progress made toward that ambition. With a world-class roster, stronger fan engagement, and groundbreaking innovations, GCL is set for its most compelling edition yet. We are proud to bring this experience to Mumbai and to audiences worldwide.”
Dubey also underlined the broader vision behind GCL. “One of the key innovations of GCL is that as a league format, it has a team which has both men and women playing in the same team. Like I mentioned earlier, this format makes it a lot more inclusive and representative of modern chess.”
Speaking about the choice of host country, he added a more personal note. “We started by taking the league to countries where chess is not as popular as in India, but it was always completely logical to bring the game back home, given India’s role. India was always one of our choices.”
The social side of the project also came into focus. Through Tech Mahindra Foundation, the organisers launched the Tech Mahindra Foundation Chess League for hearing and speech impaired children. Nineteen youngsters who qualified through events across several cities will attend the finals in Mumbai and receive their prizes on stage from the stars they watch. It is a reminder that GCL wants to be more than a pure commercial show.
For ten days in Mumbai, inside a restored opera house, chess will be played as a team sport, as a live show and as a festival for a new generation of fans.
GCL Season three officially begins with a blockbuster opening tie between Triveni Continental Kings and Alpine SG Pipers, launching what promises to be a landmark edition of the world’s first and only franchise-based chess league.
The first matches start on Sunday, 14th December, with the games starting at 5PM IST / 12.30PM CET / 6.30 AM EST.
About Tech Mahindra Global Chess League
The Global Chess League is the world’s first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players from all over the world competing in a unique joint team format. It is a joint venture between Tech Mahindra, a part of the Mahindra Group, and FIDE. The league will feature male and female chess champions competing in the same team. Playing on the popular rapid format, the league’s joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being a unique multiplayer team in the world of professional sports. In addition, the league is a one-of-its-kind live televised chess event, offering fans a unique viewing experience. Tech Mahindra and FIDE will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others.
For more information on Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, please visit: https://globalchessleague.com/
Contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Global Head – Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra
Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com
Written by Milan Dinic
Photos: Global Chess League