Global Chess League Season 3 Draft in Mumbai on Sept 26: 36 Top Chess Players in the Fray

POSTED BY: MRUNALI, SEPTEMBER 23 , 2025

Mumbai,: The Global Chess League (GCL)—a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE—will conduct its player draft in Mumbai on September 26 ahead of its third season in India. Six franchises will vie to build powerhouse rosters from a 36-player pool featuring elite Grandmasters and rising talents from 17 chess-playing nations.

Headlining the Icon Boards are reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Alireza Firouzja, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Anish Giri, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, four-time world champion Hou Yifan, and World Cup runner-up Koneru Humpy add further star power to the event, amongst a collection of the biggest superstars in the world. The U-21 Prodigy category will feature Volodar Murzin, Winner 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship, and Marc’Andria Maurizzi, the 2023 World Junior champion, spearheading the next wave of talent.

Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson, Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, said, “The GCL Season 3 draft marks another exciting milestone for the league as we bring together exceptional talent from across the globe. This season promises bigger battles, mega moves, and a new wave of chess innovation for fans. With every season, we’re not just building teams- we’re elevating the future of chess and inspiring a new generation of players and enthusiasts.”

Franchises will build their rosters over four draft rounds, and the pool will be segmented into Icon Players, Men’s, Women’s, and U-21 Prodigy categories. Marquee names will headline this year’s draft.

Five-time World Champion, Viswanathan Anand, said, “GCL is more than a tournament — it’s a celebration of intelligence, teamwork, and creativity. It combines tradition with innovation and creates a platform worthy of the game’s global stature. I’m proud to see such a league emerging from India onto the world stage.”

GCL—the world’s only official gender-inclusive league under a global sports federation—fields six players per team in a fixed-board format: one Icon, two men, two women, and one U-21 Prodigy. All six franchises will vie for the crown at their maiden home venue as the third edition debuts in India. The franchises for Season 3 are the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, PBG Alaskan Knights, UpGrad Mumba Masters, Ganges Grandmasters, Alpine SG Pipers, and American Gambits.

GCL has built a robust audience across widely followed editions in Dubai and London by blending classical pedigree with fast-paced match formats. The third season now comes to India- the birthplace of chess, promising an elevated, fan-first experience.

About Tech Mahindra Global Chess League

The Global Chess League is the world’s first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players from all over the world competing in a unique joint team format. It is a joint venture between Tech Mahindra, a part of the Mahindra Group, and FIDE. The league will feature male and female chess champions competing in the same team. Playing on the popular rapid format, the league’s joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being a unique multiplayer team in the world of professional sports. In addition, the league is a one-of-its-kind live televised chess event offering fans a unique viewing experience. Tech Mahindra and FIDE 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.

For more information on Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, please visit: https://globalchessleague.com/ | Contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Global Head – Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra

Email:  Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com;  media.relations@techmahindra.com