Mumbai, December 13, 2025: The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) officially kicked off Season 3 with a grand opening ceremony at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House, where the championship trophy was unveiled. The league, a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE, will see six teams compete across 34 matches over ten days, beginning December 14.
The ceremony was attended by Mahindra Group Chairperson Anand Mahindra and several global chess stars, including Viswanathan Anand, Alireza Firouzja, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Harika Dronavalli and Volodar Murzin. League officials highlighted Season 3 as the most ambitious edition yet, promising world-class competition, stronger fan engagement and innovative viewing experiences.
Reigning two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings return in pursuit of a historic hat-trick, while the season also features elite international names such as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So and Hou Yifan, alongside India’s leading talents. Matches will be played in a rapid format with six boards per tie, maintaining the league’s unique mixed-gender and prodigy-inclusive structure.
GCL Season 3 will be played in a double round-robin format, culminating in the Third-Place Playoff and Grand Finale on December 23. Fans in India can watch all the action live on the JioStar network, while Mumbai spectators can attend matches in person, as the world’s first franchise-based chess league returns with another landmark season.
