DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 28th Jan, 2021) Expo 2020 Dubai will host the next FIDE World Chess Championship between 24th November and 16th December, 2021.
The competition will see the reigning world champion, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, defend his title against the winner of the delayed Candidates Tournament, which is due to conclude in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in April. The two players will compete for a prize fund of EUR 2 million (AED 9 million).
Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, said, "A World Championship match is an outstanding event, and we are proud to team up with Expo 2020 to create a breath-taking experience not only for the hard-core chess fans, but also for a wider audience.
"Ever since the first international tournament, held in London in 1851 as a part of the Great Exhibition – the first World Expo – chess has been strongly connected to events that epitomise the progress of the human mind. This year's match will be exceptional in many ways, and I believe it will be an event to remember for years to come."
Mohamed AlAnsaari, Vice President – Communications, Expo 2020 Dubai, added, "Expo 2020 Dubai will be a global celebration of the very best of humankind, held in one of the world’s most welcoming and ambitious nations – what better place to host a thrilling showdown between the brightest minds in chess? "Just as chess unites people of all ages and backgrounds from across the globe, and encourages strategic thinking and problem solving, Expo 2020 will also bring the world together to build bridges and inspire solutions to some of the most pressing shared challenges of our time. The FIDE World Chess Championship will be an exciting highlight of Expo’s events Calendar, enjoyed by millions of physical and virtual visitors worldwide."
The FIDE World Chess Championship will take place at Dubai Exhibition Centre, co-located at Expo 2020, where the title of best chess player on the planet will be determined in a 14-game face-off between the two finalists. The match will be broadcast around the world, with live commentary, and the Championship will include a series of side events, including exhibition matches and appearances by former champions and celebrity fans.
Spain will also host the final of the World Online school Chess Tournament at Expo 2020 Dubai, aiming to promote the educational power of chess in line with the Spain Pavilion’s theme of ‘Intelligence for Life’.
Welcoming more than 200 participating nations and organisations, and millions of visitors, Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to take place in the MEASA region. There will be 60 live events taking place daily across 182 days.
