HOST: All India Chess Federation (AICF), under the auspices of International Chess Federation (FIDE)

DESCRIPTION:
*     Resort Rio in North Goa is the venue of the World Cup.
*     This mega event will feature some of the best male chess players of the world, including current world champion and top seed Gukesh D (India).
*     However, defending champion Magnus Carlsen has skipped the event.
*     This is the second time India is hosting the World Cup.
*     The last major FIDE event in the country was the Chess Olympiad of 2022, which was held at Mamallapuram, near Chennai.
*     A total of 206 players from 90 countries will compete in the eight-roound knockout tournament.
*     Top three finishers will qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which is a qualifier for the World Championship match.
*     Indian GM and Women World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh will be the only woman player in the fray.
*     All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) secretary Debabrata Bhatta has been appointed as a member of the organizing committee of this World Cup.
*     Bhatta, along with AOCA president Satya Ranjan Pattanaik and executive member Ritesh Kumar Rath will be attending the Annual General Meeting of the All India Chess Federation (AICF) in Goa.