Chess
AICF mulls bid for FIDE World Championship match between Gukesh and Liren
The AICF is considering a bid to host the FIDE World Championship, with young chess sensation Gukesh poised for a historic showdown against Liren.
17-year-old Indian prodigy D Gukesh made history as the youngest-ever player to win the FIDE Candidates title on April 22, 2024. (Photo credit: FIDE/X)
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is considering various avenues as it contemplates bidding for the hosting rights of the much-anticipated FIDE World Championship match between India’s D. Gukesh and Ding Liren.
“We are internally assessing everything required to bid for it -- understanding things like logistics, commercials and everything. Once we have a deeper understanding and a huge clarity on the dynamics, then we will be able to take a call," AICF President Nitin Narang told PTI.
The decision on the host city hinges upon the outcome of this internal assessment, as clarified by Narang.
FIDE's call for bids on Saturday unveiled the requirements for prospective bidders, including a budget of USD 8.5 million (approx. Rs 71 crore) and a facilitation fee of USD 1.1 million (approx. Rs 9 crore).
The AICF has until May 31 to submit the bid, with FIDE set to allocate the prestigious tournament on July 1. The overall prize money, earmarked by FIDE, stands at around USD 2.5 million (Rs 21 crore approx), a notable increase from USD 2 million (Rs 17 crore) in 2023.
Tentatively scheduled between November 20 and December 15, the World Championship promises to be a thrilling contest, featuring Gukesh, the 17-year-old prodigy from Chennai. Gukesh secured his spot in the grand finale following a historic victory in the Candidates Tournament in Toronto last week.
His triumph not only etched his name in chess history as the youngest ever winner of the Candidates but also propelled him to become the youngest qualifier for the World Championship, shattering the 40-year-old record set by Russian maestro Garry Kasparov.
