Erling Haaland Invests in Total Chess World Championship, Aims to Elevate Chess as a Global Spectacle
Erling Haaland Joins Forces with Norway Chess to Launch Total Chess World Championship
Bengaluru — In a groundbreaking move for the chess world, Manchester City star Erling Haaland has announced his investment in the new Total Chess World Championship, a venture that promises to elevate the game to new heights. Partnering with Norwegian business leader Morten Borge, Haaland has co-founded Chess Mates, which will play a pivotal role in managing Norway Chess, the only classical tournament consistently attended by world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
Haaland, known for his prowess on the football field, expressed his admiration for chess, stating, “Chess is an incredible game. It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football. You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything.”
The Total Chess World Championship aims to unify the three main formats of chess—fast classic, rapid, and blitz—into a single tournament. This innovative championship has received approval from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for a minimum of 16 years, with a pilot tournament scheduled for October 2026, followed by a full season in 2027. Each season will feature four tournaments hosted in different cities, boasting a minimum annual prize pool of $2.7 million.
Haaland’s involvement is seen as a significant endorsement of the commercial potential of chess as a spectator sport. “I’m investing in Norway Chess because I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world,” he said. “The team behind Norway Chess has already done an impressive job growing the event, and joining the project was too exciting to pass up.”
Kjell Madland, CEO of Norway Chess and Total Chess, echoed Haaland’s sentiments, highlighting the star’s contributions to the project. “The fact that Erling is joining us as an investor says a great deal about the commercial potential of this tour. He has already contributed several great ideas,” Madland noted. “With Erling on board, we are now entering the final phase of finding host cities for the first tour.”
As the chess community eagerly anticipates the launch of the Total Chess World Championship, Haaland’s involvement marks a new chapter in the sport’s evolution, blending the worlds of athletics and strategy in a way that could captivate audiences worldwide.