Magnus Carlsen, as part of Team Liquid, once again confirmed his status as the greatest player in rapid chess by winning the Esports World Cup 2025 title and the grand prize of $250,000 in chess.

The tournament took place from July 29 to August 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and served as the season finale for the Champions Chess Tour. The prize pool was $1,500,000.

Magnus Carlsen went undefeated in the playoffs:

• Magnus Carlsen 2:0 Alireza Firouzja (Final)
• Magnus Carlsen 4:3 Hikaru Nakamura (Playoffs)
• Magnus Carlsen 2.5:0.5 Nihal Sarin (Playoffs)
• Magnus Carlsen 1.5:0.5 Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Group Stage)
• Magnus Carlsen 1.5:0.5 Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Group Stage)

In addition to the title, Magnus brought his organization 1000 EWC Club Points, which are crucial for the overall Esports World Cup standings. The higher a club ranks, the more substantial its prize money: $7,000,000 is allocated for first place in points.

This was the first chess tournament within the Esports World Cup system—and it was immediately spectacular and prestigious. However, the Esports World Cup 2025 is still ongoing, with competitions in other disciplines ahead, including CS2, PUBG, and many others.