Mumbai – 29th March, 2023: The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, today announced the launch dates and format of Global Chess League (GCL). The 12-day Global Chess League (GCL) will begin on June 21, 2023, and end on July 2, 2023. GCL will be played in ten round-robin matches, with six teams competing (six players in each team), followed by a final match between the top two teams.
GCL is the world's first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players competing in a unique joint team format. GCL will feature male and female chess champions competing on the same team. The league's joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being the only joint team in a professional sports league.
Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said, "As a key constituent of Global Chess League (GCL), it is a matter of great pride for us to announce the dates of the first broadcast sports experience through GCL. We are proud to partner with FIDE and have a mentor and coach like Viswanathan Anand, former five-time world chess champion. GCL is a unique opportunity to promote this remarkable game of strategy, intellect, and rigor which we feel is strongly intertwined with business. GCL, fueled by technology and opportunities, will bring together the best players from around the world in order to popularize the game and provide players with a formidable platform to hone their skills. Tech Mahindra will leverage its expertise in technology to provide chess fans with a unique experience. We are keen to make this the largest and the most exhilarating experience for players, fans, and viewers – truly where global talent comes together and is recognized and rewarded."
FIDE and Tech Mahindra will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others.
The FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich, said, “We are very excited to announce the dates and format of this one-of-a-kind GCL with Tech Mahindra. As a partner, Tech Mahindra brings in its tech expertise to help scale and take the game to millions of fans. The league will help increase Chess's popularity while expanding commercial opportunities. As a part of FIDE’s commitment to growing women’s chess, this league will also witness the joint male and female team format, a first-of-its-kind in a professional sport. We invite team owners and sponsors to join in the effort to bring chess closer to its fans around the world. We are looking forward to meeting the teams and new talent in June 2023."
GCL will aim to bring sports fans together to witness chess in a never-seen-before avatar. The winning team will get crowned with the title of World Champion Franchise Team.
Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion and Indian chess legend, said, “Chess is a game that millions of people all over the world enjoy playing. We've seen a surge in new fan engagements since the pandemic, increasing the fan base. It is indeed a momentous occasion for the world of chess to stage a Global Chess League with players participating worldwide. I am confident that the league will bring a new perspective to chess and chess viewership. Looking forward to collaborating with FIDE and Tech Mahindra to make the 12-day GCL a huge success.”
The long-standing partnership between Tech Mahindra and FIDE will promote playing of chess in new and innovative formats, create opportunities for youth, and foster many champions globally.
About FIDE:
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. Constituted as a non-governmental institution, it was recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999. FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne, but it was initially founded in 1924 in Paris under the motto “Gens una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”). It was one of the very first International Sports Federations, alongside the governing bodies of the sports of Football, Cricket, Swimming, and Auto Racing. It is now one of the largest, encompassing 199 countries as affiliate members, in the form of National Chess Federations. Chess is nowadays a truly global sport, with dozens of millions of players on all the continents, and more than 60 million games on average played every day.
More information: www.fide.com
Contact: press@fide.com
About Tech Mahindra:
Tech Mahindra offers innovative and customer-centric digital experiences, enabling enterprises, associates and the society to Rise for a more equal world, future readiness, and value creation. It is a USD 6+ billion organization with 157,000+ professionals across 90 countries helping 1290 global customers, including Fortune 500 companies. It is focused on leveraging next-generation technologies including 5G, Metaverse, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and more, to enable end-to-end digital transformation for global customers. It is the only Indian company in the world to receive the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal for its commitment to creating a sustainable future. It is the fastest growing brand globally in ‘brand value rank’ and amongst the top 7 IT brands globally in brand strength with AA+ rating. With the NXT.NOWTM framework, Tech Mahindra aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’ for its ecosystem and drive collaborative disruption with synergies arising from a robust portfolio of companies. Tech Mahindra aims at delivering tomorrow’s experiences today and believes that the ‘Future is Now’.
Tech Mahindra is the part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.
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