The Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, is set to return for its fourth season with the Player Draft scheduled in Mumbai on July 29. The league will be held in Bengaluru from September 3 to 13, with six franchises competing for the championship.
The Season 4 draft will witness the return of five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen after a season away, while reigning FIDE Women’s World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh will make her debut in the tournament.
The player pool features 36 Grandmasters, including World Champions, World Cup winners, Olympiad medallists and emerging talents. Franchises will build six-player squads comprising one Icon, two Superstar Men, two Superstar Women and one Prodigy for the league’s unique mixed-team rapid format.
The draft list includes top names such as Viswanathan Anand, Javokhir Sindarov, Koneru Humpy, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Levon Aronian. Young stars, including Volodar Murzin and Indian Grandmaster Leon Luke Mendonca, will also add depth to the competition.
GCL Commissioner Gourav Rakshit said the draft will play a crucial role in shaping competitive teams, while officials highlighted the league’s focus on technology-driven fan engagement and expanding chess globally.
The six franchises, including upGrad Mumba Masters, Alpine APL Pipers and others, will finalise their squads ahead of the Bengaluru season finale on September 13.
