oi-Shreya Sanjeev

Football superstar Erling Haaland has invested in Norway Chess and its new competitive format, the Total Chess World Championship Tour. The move reflects his ambition to help make chess more accessible, engaging, and spectator-friendly on a global scale.

Norway Chess, long known for pushing innovation within the sport, is taking another significant step with the launch of this new tour. The project now gains a major strategic investor in Haaland, who has partnered with Norwegian business leader Morten Borge to establish Chess Mates – a company that will become a key stakeholder in Norway Chess.

“Chess is an incredible game. It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football. You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything,” Haaland said.

Borge echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the shared qualities between chess, elite sport, and investing. “Chess is ultimately about strategy and long-term thinking,” he noted, adding that the game sits at the intersection of their respective worlds.

With a massive global following, Haaland’s involvement is expected to help attract new audiences and inject fresh energy into the sport.

“I’m investing in Norway Chess because I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger spectator sport worldwide,” Haaland added.

The new championship, featuring the world’s top players, is set to be a major development in modern chess. The tour will include four tournaments annually across different cities and will crown a combined world champion across Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz formats. Approved by FIDE for at least 16 years, the tour will begin with a pilot event in autumn 2026 before launching a full season in 2027, with a minimum annual prize pool of $2.7 million.

Kjell Madland, CEO of Norway Chess and Total Chess, welcomed Haaland’s involvement, calling it a strong endorsement of the tour’s global potential and a step towards expanding chess’s reach to new audiences.

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