Global Chess League 2026 Begins Today: Check full schedule, September 5 match timings, teams and key players

The chess world will turn its focus to Bengaluru as the Global Chess League 2026 gets underway on Saturday, September 5, today. The tournament features several of the biggest names in chess, bringing together leading male players, top women competitors and promising young talents.

Six teams will compete for the championship, with legends including Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen set to share the stage with some of the game's most exciting young players. The league will feature a fast-paced format, adding another layer of excitement to the competition.

Global Chess League 2026 Matches On September 5

The opening day's fixtures are:

• 3:30 PM IST: PBG Alaskan Knights vs FYERS American Gambits
• 5:00 PM IST: Triveni Continental Kings vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 6:30 PM IST: CheQ Mumba Masters vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 8:00 PM IST: FYERS American Gambits vs Triveni Continental Kings

Global Chess League 2026 Teams And Players

Each franchise has a six-player squad featuring one Icon player, two Superstar Men, two Superstar Women and one Prodigy.

Alpine APL Pipers

• Icon: Magnus Carlsen
• Superstar Men: Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi
• Superstar Women: Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy
• Prodigy: Volodar Murzin

CheQ Mumba Masters

• Icon: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
• Superstar Men: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Vladimir Fedoseev
• Superstar Women: Carissa Yip, Harika Dronavalli
• Prodigy: Bardiya Daneshvar

FYERS American Gambits

• Icon: Javokhir Sindarov
• Superstar Men: Daniil Dubov, Nihal Sarin
• Superstar Women: Bibisara Assaubayeva, Sara Khadem
• Prodigy: Marc’Andria Maurizzi

Ganges Grandmasters

• Icon: Ian Nepomniachtchi
• Superstar Men: Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez
• Superstar Women: Polina Shuvalova, Stavroula Tsolakidou
• Prodigy: Leon Mendonca

PBG Alaskan Knights

• Icon: Viswanathan Anand
• Superstar Men: Arjun Erigaisi, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus
• Superstar Women: Kateryna Lagno, Nino Batsiashvili
• Prodigy: Abhimanyu Mishra

Triveni Continental Kings

• Icon: Alireza Firouzja
• Superstar Men: Wei Yi, Aravindh Chithambaram
• Superstar Women: Zhu Jiner, Alexandra Kosteniuk
• Prodigy: Pranav V

Global Chess League 2026 Full Schedule

September 5

• 3:30 PM: PBG Alaskan Knights vs FYERS American Gambits
• 5:00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 6:30 PM: Airlearn Mumba Masters vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 8:00 PM: FYERS American Gambits vs Triveni Continental Kings

September 6

• 3:30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 5:00 PM: Airlearn Mumba Masters vs PBG Alaskan Knights
• 6:30 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs FYERS American Gambits
• 8:00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs Airlearn Mumba Masters

September 7

• 3:30 PM: PBG Alaskan Knights vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 5:00 PM: Airlearn Mumba Masters vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 6:30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs FYERS American Gambits
• 8:00 PM: PBG Alaskan Knights vs Triveni Continental Kings

September 8

• 3:30 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs PBG Alaskan Knights
• 5:00 PM: FYERS American Gambits vs Airlearn Mumba Masters
• 6:30 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 8:00 PM: FYERS American Gambits vs PBG Alaskan Knights

September 9

• 3:30 PM: Airlearn Mumba Masters vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 5:00 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs Triveni Continental Kings
• 6:30 PM: PBG Alaskan Knights vs Airlearn Mumba Masters
• 8:00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs FYERS American Gambits

September 10

• 3:30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 5:00 PM: Airlearn Mumba Masters vs Triveni Continental Kings
• 6:30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs PBG Alaskan Knights
• 8:00 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs FYERS American Gambits

September 11

• 5:00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs PBG Alaskan Knights
• 6:30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs FYERS American Gambits
• 8:00 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs Airlearn Mumba Masters

September 12

• 5:00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs Alpine APL Pipers
• 6:30 PM: PBG Alaskan Knights vs Ganges Grandmasters
• 8:00 PM: FYERS American Gambits vs Airlearn Mumba Masters

September 13

• 3:30 PM: 3rd Place Match
• 6:30 PM: Final