Global Chess League Season 3: A Grand Return to India

The Global Chess League (GCL), a collaboration between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, has set the scene for Season 3 following a high-profile Player Draft event in Mumbai. PBG Alaskan Knights caused a stir by capturing India's chess stars Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi. Debutant Wesley So sparked intense bidding before joining upGrad Mumba Masters as six franchises finalized their squads for the event, scheduled from December 13-24, 2025, at Mumbai's Royal Opera House.

Season 3 marks GCL's arrival in India, a country crucial to the sport's history. The draft saw Alpine SG Pipers secure Fabiano Caruana during the Icon Round, while PBG Alaskan Knights clinched Gukesh Dommaraju after outbidding competitors. The Ganges Grandmasters retained five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand. GCL Chairperson Peeyush Dubey emphasized India's growing significance in global chess, as millions are inspired by its champions. He noted, 'Bringing the Global Chess League to India is where the sport stands today, a truly global league uniting players and fans worldwide.'

Amid dramatic negotiations, upGrad Mumba Masters made a strategic move for Wesley So, securing him after a heated contest with American Gambits and PBG Alaskan Knights. Ganges Grandmasters bolstered their team with 20-year-old Vincent Keymer. CEO Suhail Chandhok highlighted their intent to retain squad strength with star players like Harika, Humpy, and MVL. He expressed satisfaction at securing Wesley So as a top pick from male superstars.

A headline event saw Arjun Erigaisi incite a three-way bidding war, eventually pairing with Gukesh for the PBG Alaskan Knights, marking a formidable Indian duo. Coach Abhijit Kunte remarked on the excitement of GCL in India, 'Gukesh and Arjun's performances will certainly delight fans here.' Meanwhile, several teams strengthened their line-ups with retentions ahead of the draft. Alpine SG Pipers kept Hou Yifan and R Praggnanandhaa, while Hikaru Nakamura and Bibisara Assaubayeva remained with American Gambits. Post-draft, Shrinath Narayanan of American Gambits described team-building as 'playing chess on a bigger board.'

The fierce Superstar Women round saw Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner joining Triveni Continental Kings amid strong bidding. Kateryna Lagno's move to PBG Alaskan Knights added further depth to their roster. Akash Premsen, CEO of title defenders Triveni Continental Kings, expressed a strategy focus on competitive vigor and team synergy.

The final Player Draft round spotlighted emerging talents with Ganges acquiring Raunak Sadhwani and American Gambits securing Volodar Murzin. PBG Alaskan Knights countered with Daniel Dardha, and Leon Mendonca joined Alpine SG Pipers. Alpine Coach Pravin Thipsay stressed the importance of consistent player performance in their selection process. Ganges Grandmasters' Vishnu Prasad emphasized building a youth-focused team for multi-day matches employing a round-robin format.

GCL introduces a novel global initiative, GCL Contenders 2025, that will allow three winners from six time zones to join Grandmasters in this franchise-based chess competition. Each of the six teams will play ten matches on a best-of-six board format. The GCL Season 3 promises to be a landmark event in India's vibrant chess landscape.