Magnus Carlsen will return to the Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2026 as the reigning Chess champion, once again representing Team Liquid in the second edition of the tournament.
Carlsen, widely regarded as the greatest chess player of his generation, dominated the inaugural EWC Chess competition in 2025. The Norwegian defeated every challenger on his way to the title, losing just three individual games throughout the playoffs while remaining unbeaten in every match series.
He will face another formidable challenge this year from Team Falcons, who will field a fearsome duo of French star Alireza Firouzja and American legend Hikaru Nakamura.
The stakes are particularly high for Falcons. As the two-time Club Champions, Team Falcons currently hold a narrow lead in the 2026 EWC Club Championship standings. With Chess contributing points to the overall competition, the results in Riyadh could play a decisive role in determining the winner of the prestigious cross-game championship and its $30 million prize pool.
Replay: Esports World Cup (EWC) Last Chance Qualifier
Three-stage format
The EWC Chess 2026 competition will once again feature a three-stage format, beginning with the Last Chance Qualifier and culminating in a single-elimination playoff.
Stage 1 – Play-In, August 11:
Eight players will compete in a double-elimination bracket, with the winner securing a place in the main event. (live games)
Stage 2 – Group Stage, August 12–13:
The 16-player field will be divided into two groups of eight. Each group will compete in a double-elimination bracket, with the top four players from each group advancing to the playoffs. (live games)
Stage 3 – Playoffs, August 14–15:
The remaining eight players will enter a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinal matches will consist of four games, while the semifinals will feature six games. The tournament will culminate in a best-of-three-sets Grand Final to determine the EWC Chess 2026 champion. (live games)
With Carlsen returning to defend his crown and Firouzja and Nakamura leading Team Falcons’ challenge, Chess is once again set to be one of the most closely watched competitions at the Esports World Cup.
Full participants list of the EWC Chess 2026
Aravindh Chithambaram, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Pranesh M, Alexander Grischuk, Andrey Esipenko, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Vladislav Artemiev, Fabiano Caruana, Hans Moke Niemann, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Parham Maghsoodloo, Sina Movahed, Denis Lazavik, Wei Yi, Benjamin Bok, Magnus Carlsen, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alexey Sarana, Olexandr Bortnyk, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Lê Quang Liêm