Carlsen to lead FIDE-approved total Chess Championship pilot

World number one Magnus Carlsen will compete in the pilot event of the FIDE-approved Total Chess World Championship Tour, scheduled for November in Budapest, organizers said on Tuesday.

The November 10-21 tournament will feature three chess formats — blitz, rapid and fast classic — with results from all events combined to determine the overall champion.

The pilot event will serve as a preview for the inaugural global season, which is set to begin in March 2027. The official tour will include four events each year in cities around the world, with the overall winner crowned the FIDE World Combined Champion.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said the tour aims to attract new audiences, commercial partners and greater media interest while helping expand chess globally.

"We are convinced that the tour will attract new audiences, commercial partners and greater media interest, helping us expand chess globally," Dvorkovich said.

Organizers said the November tournament will establish the foundation for the full championship circuit launching next year.

"As the official pilot of the Tour, this event will set the benchmark for the global championship that begins in March 2027," Total Chess CEO Kjell Madland said.

The Total Chess World Championship Tour was developed by Norway Chess and has already gained commercial support, with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Olympic cross-country skiing champion Johannes Klaebo among its investors.

-Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru/Reuters