Nihal Sarin Secures Spot at Esports World Cup Chess Event in Paris

Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin qualifies for the Esports World Cup chess event in Paris through the Champions Chess Tour leaderboard. He joins Aravindh Chithambaram, marking significant Indian representation at the tournament, which boasts a prize pool of USD 1.5 million and occurs in August 2026.

Nihal Sarin, an Indian Grandmaster, has earned a place in the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) chess tournament set for Paris by securing enough points in the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings. This victory makes Sarin one of two Indians to qualify so far, alongside Aravindh Chithambaram.

The prestigious EWC chess competition, with a prize pool of USD 1.5 million, is scheduled from August 11 to 15 and promises to showcase top talent from around the globe. The overall EWC event features a record-breaking USD 75 million prize, spanning from July 6 to August 23, involving over 2,000 players from 200 clubs worldwide.

Sarin narrowly missed direct entry through the Chess.com Open (CCO) by finishing fourth but accumulated critical leaderboard points through consistent performances across various competitive circuits. His standout achievement in the Spring Split propelled him to a total of 139 points, securing his spot at the EWC 2026.

Sarin expressed his determination and excitement for the event, stating his experiences from last year have only increased his motivation to represent India on this massive international platform. Fellow S8UL teammate Pranesh M remains a contender through the Last Chance Qualifier for additional EWC berths.