Mumbai, September 26, 2025: The Global Chess League (GCL) unveiled its Season 3 squads at a dramatic Player Draft in Mumbai, with PBG Alaskan Knights stunning the room by pairing Indian prodigies Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi. Debutant Wesley So was the day’s hottest pick, eventually landing with upGrad Mumba Masters after a fierce bidding tussle. The league, a joint FIDE–Tech Mahindra initiative, will take place at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House from December 13–24, 2025, marking GCL’s first season on Indian soil.
The Icon Round set the tone, with Fabiano Caruana joining Alpine SG Pipers, Viswanathan Anand staying with Ganges Grandmasters, and Gukesh snapped up by Alaskan Knights. Teams also leaned on retained stars, including Hou Yifan and Praggnanandhaa (Alpine), Hikaru Nakamura (American Gambits), Alireza Firouzja and Kosteniuk (Triveni Continental Kings), and Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and MVL (upGrad Mumba Masters).
Star power shone in the Superstar Women Round, where Triveni Kings won a bidding war for Zhu Jiner, while Alaskan Knights secured Kateryna Lagno. Ganges bet on youth with Vincent Keymer and Raunak Sadhwani, while Alpine bolstered balance with Leon Mendonca. “The psychology of the team matters as much as the board,” noted Triveni CEO Akash Premsen, underlining the blend of talent and chemistry driving selections.
The final squads promise fierce battles: American Gambits boast Nakamura, Rapport, and Artemiev; Alpine carry a heavyweight mix led by Caruana, Pragg, and Hou Yifan; Ganges field Anand with Europe’s brightest; Mumba Masters added So to a core of MVL, Humpy, and Harika; Alaskan Knights flaunt India’s dream duo Gukesh–Arjun plus Lagno; while Triveni defend their crown with Firouzja, Wei Yi, and Vidit. Across 12 days and 10 matches per team, GCL will also debut GCL Contenders 2025, giving rising talents a shot to play alongside legends in the world’s first franchise chess league.
