World chess champion D Gukesh is looking forward to returning to Goa, a venue that holds fond memories from his early playing days, as he prepares to lead the Indian challenge at the prestigious FIDE World Cup starting here on Friday.
The FIDE World Cup, one of the most significant events on the global chess calendar, returns to India after 23 years. The tournament will be held at a resort in North Goa from October 31 to November 27, offering a total prize fund of US $2 million.
"I am really excited about the World Cup. Playing anywhere in India is great and I have some great memories of Goa. I have played some junior events there. So, looking forward to being there," said Gukesh, who will start as the top seed in the competition.
The 19-year-old last competed in Goa in 2019, finishing 10th in the Category “A” Goa International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament despite being seeded much lower at the start. Now returning as the reigning world champion, Gukesh hopes to make it another memorable trip to the coastal state, regarded among India's top sporting and tourist destinations.
A field of 206 players from 82 countries will compete in the knockout-format event with the top three finishers qualifying for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Gukesh has received a bye in the opening round and is likely to face Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazakhstan in the second.
Another top player who is looking forward to pocketing the winner's purse of US $120,000 is Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri. Having already sealed his spot in the Candidates 2026, which will decide the challenger for Gukesh in the next World Championships cycle, Giri will have a little less pressure going into the tournament.
"The World Cup is a great event and I am going to play it regardless. It's fun to play it," said Giri, who will be the highest ranked foreign player in the competition.
Speaking about the challenge of the qualification format, Giri said, "It’s a very tricky qualification path, whichever is the format. I have played a lot of them who are playing in the World Cup. Once I got very close to qualifying through the World Cup. I lost the semi-final to Peter Svidler in 2015."
The FIDE World Cup has been following the knock-out format since 2005, and only Viswanathan Anand of India and Armenia’s Levon Aronian have so far managed to win the title twice in the history of the tournament.
Also read: 2025 FIDE World Cup Chess C’ship: Goa CM unveils logo, anthem
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