By Sagar V. Mankar 
Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-ranked chess player and five-time world champion, is reportedly in advanced discussions to join the esports organization, Team Liquid. This potential partnership aligns with the upcoming introduction of chess at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2025.
According to a report by Sheep Esports, Carlsen is likely to finalize a deal with Team Liquid as the organization plans to make its chess debut.
This move follows Team Liquid’s impressive performance at the 2024 EWC, where they secured second place and a substantial $4 million prize in the club championship, finishing behind only Falcons.
Carlsen’s achievements in chess are nothing short of extraordinary. The chess grandmaster has maintained his position as the International Chess Federation’s top-ranked player since July 2011. Chess analysts widely regard him as one of the greatest players in the game’s history, if not the greatest.
His dominance across different chess formats is particularly noteworthy. In 2014, he became the first player to simultaneously hold the Chess, Rapid, and Blitz world championships, a feat he repeated twice more.
Recently, Carlsen made headlines by withdrawing from the Rapid and Blitz world championships after being warned and fined for wearing jeans. He later competed in the Blitz tournament following a relaxation of the dress code and controversially agreed to share the championship with Ian Nepomniachtchi after a tie.
Chess’s integration into esports continues to evolve, and the 2025 EWC is shaping up to be a landmark event. The tournament organizers appointed Carlsen as a global ambassador for the event, which will feature an online chess tournament in Riyadh with a $1.5 million prize pool. This event is part of Saudi Arabia’s initiative to position itself as a hub for tourism and entertainment. Carlsen’s involvement is expected to attract new audiences to competitive chess. So far, 22 games have joined the second season, including the latest addition, VALORANT.