Every chess player signed to an esports organisation ahead of EWC

Following the announcement that chess will be a big part of the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC), several esports organisations are expanding into the strategy game by signing the world’s best players.

Chess was unveiled as a tournament at the multi-title event in December 2024, and since then, esports organisations participating in the competition have continued to attract talent from across the world — and from the top of the chess leaderboard.

French esports organisation Team Vitality was one of the first to expand its operations into chess for the EWC. In February 2025, it signed Grandmaster Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave to represent the organisation across the international chess circuit.

In addition to the EWC, MVL represents Team Vitality in the Champions Chess Tour. He placed in the top 23 for the Chessable Masters event which concluded on February 21st, 2025.

The esports division of the English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers has also embarked on fielding chess players.

On February 27th, the organisation signed Yu Yangyi, China’s youngest Grandmaster, who will represent the organisation at the EWC, featuring a $1.5m (~£1.2m) prize pool.

Ukrainian organisation NAVI (Natus Vincere) announced a significant expansion into chess on February 17th, 2025, with the signing of three players to its ranks.

Sixth in the world Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So and Oleksandr Bortnyk all competed in the first Chessable Masters competition of 2025, with So finishing in the top 16.

All three players look to represent the organisation at the EWC, a competition where NAVI is part of the Club programme.

Serbian organisation Aurora Gaming has also made the leap into the world of professional chess with the signing of Blitz Chess World Champion Ian Neopmniachtchi.

Currently ranked tenth in the world, the Russian pro will compete in the Champions Chess Tour under the organisation’s banner at the EWC beginning on June 28th.

Saudi Arabian organisation Team Falcons will also field a chess Grandmaster at the EWC and other competitions. On February 18th, it announced the signing of Hikaru Nakamura, who’s currently ranked second in the world, according to the Chess.com rankings.

Nakamura is no stranger to representing esports organisations. In 2020, he represented North American organisation TSM as a streamer in a deal worth six figures.

In March, the organisation announced the signing of Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja, taking its chess roster to two. Team Falcons is one of the only esports organisations to field two players ranked in the top ten.

Leo Team is the second Ukrainian esports organisation to field a chess player.

The organisation signed 2003 Grandmaster Anton Korobov to its roster with the aim of qualifying for the EWC.

Chinese organisation LGD Gaming is one of a handful of esports organisations from Asia fielding a chess player so far.

On February 14th, it announced the signing of former World Champion Ding Liren, who’s returning to chess after taking a competitive hiatus in December 2024.

Similar to NAVI, LGD Gaming is one of 30 organisations that form part of the EWC’s Club programme, which offers financial capital aiming to ensure the stability of organisations.

Weibo Gaming has also expanded into professional chess. On February 16th, the Chinese organisation signed world number seven Wei Yi to its roster.

The first tournament under the organisation saw Yi finish the Chessable Masters with a top 12 placement.

Founded in 1999, All Gamers is one of the oldest esports organisations in the world.

Like many, the Chinese organisation expanded into chess in February with the signing of Volodar Murzin.

Murzin is the defending Rapid Chess World Champion and recently placed fourth in the Djerba International Chess Festival.

North American esports organisation Team Liquid has already cemented its place at the top of chess with the signings of Fabiano Caruana and world number one Magnus Carlsen.

The organisation was one of the first in the world to expand into chess and immediately made an impact by adding two of the world’s best players to its lineup.

Most recently, Carlsen won the Chessable Masters competition, while Caruana finished in the top 12.

Another North American organisation to enter chess is Gen.G. It has signed Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi to represent the organisation on the biggest stage.

The 21-year-old achieved the title of Grandmaster in 2018 and placed 5th at the World Rapid Chess Championship in December 2024.

So far, Team Liquid’s Carlsen, Team Falcons’ Nakamura and Aurora Gaming’s Nepomniachtchi are the only players to qualify for the EWC so far.

The tournament will feature the top 12 players based on CCT points along with four who make it through a last-chance qualifier.