Erling Haaland invests in Norway Chess to launch the new Total Chess World Championship Tour
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland is investing in Norway Chess and its new tour format, the Total Chess World Championship Tour.
Together with Norwegian business leader Morten Borge, Haaland has established Chess Mates, which will be a significant shareholder in Norway Chess.
“I’m investing in Norway Chess because I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world. The team behind Norway Chess has already done an impressive job growing the event, and joining the project was too exciting to pass up,” says Haaland.
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The new championship, featuring the world’s best players, is expected to become one of the most significant developments in modern chess. The Total Chess World Championship Tour will consist of four tournaments each year, hosted in four different cities, and will crown a combined world champion across three disciplines: Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz chess.
This new World Championship has been approved by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for a minimum of 16 years. A pilot tournament is planned for autumn 2026, followed by a full championship season in 2027. Each season will consist of four events, and a minimum annual prize pool of USD 2.7 million.
Published on Mar 19, 2026