Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:55pm on 31 Oct 2025,Friday Sports
The FIDE World Cup trophy was renamed the "Viswanathan Anand Trophy" during Friday's opening ceremony in Goa, honoring India's five-time World Champion. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and FIDE chief Arkady Dvorkovich attended the unveiling. World Women Chess Cup holder Divya Deshmukh conducted the draw of lots, with odd numbers playing black pieces in round one. The $2 million prize money tournament features 206 players from 80 countries competing across eight knockout rounds of classical games. The FIDE World Cup 2025 will award three qualifying spots to the Candidates 2026, which serves as the gateway to the next World Championship match.
