2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships to Take Place in New York, Featuring Top Grandmasters and Controversial Sponsorship

The 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships are set to make history as they head to New York for the first time ever. Scheduled to take place in the last week of December, the prestigious speed-chess tournaments are expected to draw in top grandmasters from around the world, including defending champion Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Ju Wenjun, Irina Krush, and more.

Last year’s championships garnered over 250 million views globally, a record that FIDE aims to surpass this year. CEO Emil Sutovsky expressed his excitement for the event, calling it a celebration of the beauty of chess and a festival of mind and art.

Freedom Holding Corp. is set to back the event, despite being under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice last year for allegedly aiding Russian oligarchs in evading sanctions and laundering funds. CEO Timur Turlov expressed his company’s enthusiasm for supporting the championships in the economic hub of New York.

The change in location has sparked excitement among U.S. players, with many taking to social media to share their anticipation for the event. However, not everyone is pleased with the choice of sponsor, as GM Peter Heine Nielson criticized the company’s ties to sanctioned clients.

With the stage set for an exhilarating competition in the heart of New York City, chess enthusiasts and players alike are eagerly awaiting the 2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships.