The Round One pairings for the 2025 FIDE World Cup in Goa have been released, unveiling a slate of exciting early matchups. While most top seeds are automatically placed into Round 2, the opening round still promises compelling encounters as 156 players battle to advance in this elite knockout event.
The tournament features 206 participants and serves as a crucial qualifier for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The top three finishers in Goa will earn direct spots in that highly exclusive competition — putting immense pressure on every round.
A detailed tournament preview will be published closer to the November 1st start date. However, the full list of wildcards, host nominees, and last-minute replacements already deserves special attention. The inclusion of some fantastic rising stars and replacements, ensures a dynamic and unpredictable start to the championship.
President Dvorkovich’s wildcards
While wildcard invitations represent a small fraction of the overall field, they often spotlight the future stars of the game. Nevertheless, the wildcards—special invitations granted outside the standard qualification paths—make up only a small fraction of the 206-player field.
“FIDE always works hard to find ways to give talented players a chance to improve and make their mark. The decision to award invites to these five players is based on a mix of recent performance, high-level potential and their contribution to the sport,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said.
The wildcard list leans heavily toward youth, featuring promising talents such as GM’s Mishra, Woodward and Oro, and also a very young World Rapid Champion, GM Murzin. By spotlighting young and emerging players, FIDE is clearly using the wildcard system as a developmental tool—investing in future stars and encouraging their continued growth on the world stage.
“The World Cup is one of the most difficult and most exciting chess events, given its knockout format, and will be a great opportunity for these players to show their best facing the best,” Dvorkovich added.
Let’s take a quick look at the six wildcard invitees—each a rising talent or notable figure who adds depth and intrigue to the 2025 FIDE World Cup line-up.
Kirill Alekseenko (Austria)
Born in 1997, Kirill Alekseenko is a seasoned grandmaster who began representing Austria in 2023. A GM since 2015, Alekseenko made headlines by breaking into the 2700+ rating club after finishing third in the 2019 FIDE Grand Swiss, a result that earned him a wildcard to the 2020 Candidates Tournament.
With a wealth of top-level experience, Alekseenko remains a formidable presence on the circuit. He has recently posted strong performances in several Spanish Open events and is currently one of the highest-rated players not directly qualified for the 2025 World Cup.
According to FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky, Alekseenko was awarded a wildcard because he was unable to participate in the Grand Swiss in Samarkand due to “circumstances beyond his control.” Given his proven calibre, awarding him a spot was seen as a fair and justified decision.
Aleksey Grebnev (FIDE)
Playing under the FIDE flag, Aleksey Grebnev, born in 2006, claimed his place by defeating fellow prodigy, French Grandmaster Marc’Andria Maurizzi, in a two-game classical match held a few days ago in Serbia. The win earned him the last of the six wildcard invitations, all selected by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.
Grebnev’s trajectory has been nothing short of meteoric. He captured the World Under-18 Championship in 2023, followed by the Asian Junior title in 2024, and most recently triumphed at the Dubai Open. With a current FIDE rating of 2611, the 19-year-old is poised to make a serious impact in Goa.
In Grebnev’s case, the selection recognizes both his consistent results and his potential to challenge the world’s best on the biggest stages.
Abhimanyu Mishra (USA)
Born in 2009 in New Jersey, Abhimanyu Mishra is an American grandmaster widely regarded as one of the most exceptional young talents in global chess. Currently rated 2652, Mishra made history in June 2021 by becoming the youngest grandmaster of all time at just 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days, surpassing the long-standing record held by Sergey Karjakin.
Mishra continues to break new ground. At the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand last month, he defeated reigning World Champion GM D. Gukesh in a gruelling 61-move classical game—becoming the youngest player ever to beat a sitting world champion in a classical format.
That landmark victory, along with a series of strong performances throughout the tournament, propelled Mishra into the FIDE Top 100, underlining his credentials as a genuine contender among the world’s top juniors and a rising force on the elite circuit.
Volodar Murzin (FIDE)
Born in 2006 in Nizhny Tagil, Russia, Volodar Murzin has emerged as one of the brightest young chess talents in recent years. He first gained international attention by winning the European Youth U12 Championship in 2018, followed by a national triumph at the 2020 Russian Junior Championship.
Murzin earned the grandmaster title in 2022, but his breakout moment on the world stage came in 2024, when he captured the World Rapid Chess Championship in New York, finishing with an unbeaten score of 10/13. Along the way, he defeated elite players such as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda—a feat that cemented his status as a rising star among the game’s elite.
With a current classical rating of 2664, Murzin is now approaching the global top 50, and his rapid ascent makes him a player to watch closely at the 2025 FIDE World Cup.
Faustino Oro (Argentina)
Born in 2013 in Buenos Aires, Faustino Oro is an Argentine chess prodigy already being hailed as “the Messi of chess.” He began playing in 2020, during the pandemic, and quickly drew global attention by reaching a FIDE rating of 2300 at just 9 years old—the youngest player ever to do so at the time.
In June 2024, Oro broke another record by becoming the youngest International Master in history, earning the title at 10 years, 8 months, and 16 days. He continued his rapid rise in September 2025, when he secured his first Grandmaster norm at the “Leyendas y Prodigios” tournament in Madrid—making him the second youngest player ever to achieve this milestone.
Now residing in Spain, Oro trains intensively—reportedly six hours a day—and currently holds a FIDE rating of 2509, the highest ever achieved by an 11-year-old. His inclusion in the 2025 FIDE World Cup marks another step in what is already shaping up to be a historic career.
Andy Woodward (USA)
Born in 2010, Andy Woodward is a Texas-based grandmaster and one of the most highly regarded young chess talents in the world today. His rise has been rapid and impressive, marked most recently by a standout performance at the 2024 FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, where he held his own against elite opposition.
Woodward earned the grandmaster title in early 2024, at just 13 years, 8 months, and 28 days, making him one of the youngest grandmasters in U.S. history. His momentum continued into 2025, when he captured the U.S. Junior Championship with an undefeated +4 =5 −0 score against a strong field, registering a performance rating of 2646.
In addition to his classical achievements, Woodward demonstrated his sharp tactical skills by winning the 2025 Puzzle World Championship, where he defeated GM Ray Robson in the final. With a rare blend of composure, calculation, and consistency, Woodward enters the 2025 FIDE World Cup as a formidable young contender.
The All India Chess Federation nominees
According to regulations, the host nation, India, has exercised its right to nominate two additional players, GM’s Pranav Venkatesh and Raunak Sadhwani, both of them currently rated 2641.
They will join a formidable Indian contingent that includes several of the world’s top-ranked players and rising stars, making India one of the strongest and most well-represented nations in the tournament. Let’s take a closer look at both of them
Pranav Venkatesh (India)
Born in 2006, Pranav became India’s 75th Grandmaster in 2022 by securing his final norm at the Limpedea Open in Romania. In 2024, he won the FIDE World U‑18 Youth Rapid & Blitz titles in Slovenia, topping both formats with strong scores, followed by winning the prestigious 2025 World Junior U-20 Championship in Montenegro, going unbeaten with 9/11 (seven wins, four draws).
Trained under the WestBridge‑Anand Chess Academy (WACA) and mentored in part by Viswanathan Anand, Pranav is seen as one of India’s rising stars.
Already noted for his steady, meticulous style and ability to perform under pressure, Pranav is aiming to break into the 2700+ rating bracket and make his mark in senior elite tournaments
Raunak Sadhwani (India)
Born in Nagpur in 2005 (India), Sadhwani is a rising star in the world of chess and one of India’s youngest grandmasters, achieving the prestigious Grandmaster just before his 14th birthday.
His peak FIDE rating so far has reached 2681 (July 2025).
U‑10 Commonwealth Championship in 2015, Raunak has represented India at several major events, including the 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022, contributing to an India B-team bronze medal. More recently, he emerged victorious in the 2024 London Chess Masters, remaining undefeated and scoring +7 over nine rounds.
Raunak is known for blending aggressive play with strong positional understanding. His steady rise in world rankings and performance in elite tournaments suggest that he is likely to become a regular contender at the highest levels.
Additional wildcard awarded to GM Divya Deshmukh ensures female representation
Due to a last-minute cancellation of one of the participants, with Ju Wenjun and Hou Yifan having earlier declined the invitation—FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich assigned an additional wildcard spots to GM Divya Deshmukh.
Divya, the reigning Women’s World Cup champion, enters the tournament with strong momentum. While her rating and experience place her as an underdog, her recent successes—including the Women’s World Cup victory and a solid showing at the Grand Swiss—make her a formidable opponent. Her challengers should be prepared for a tough and competitive match.
This wildcard was granted as a special exception, partly motivated by the goal of ensuring female representation in the event’s highly competitive field, as this decision makes Divya the only woman in the open section of the 2025 FIDE World Cup.
Written by IM Michael Rahal, Press Officer
From October 30 to November 27, 2025, the world’s top chess players will gather on India’s west coast for one of the most thrilling events on the calendar—the 2025 FIDE World Cup. This knockout tournament features 206 competitors battling for a share of the $2,000,000 prize fund and, importantly, three coveted spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
With every round a high-stakes, win-or-go-home battle, the World Cup promises intense drama, unforgettable games, and the rise of new stars.
World Cup draw: worldcup2025.fide.com/pairing-tree/
List of qualified players: worldcup2025.fide.com/participants/