Delhi and Chennai submit separate bids for World Chess Championship

The Tamil Nadu government and All India Chess Federation (AIFF) have submitted bids to FIDE, the world chess body, suggesting Chennai and Delhi as respective venues for the World Chess Championship match. The tournament is scheduled to take place at least six months from now.

AICF pitched ‘Yashobhoomi’ in Dwarka, Delhi as the venue for the much-awaited clash. However, it has been changed to Bharat Mandapam in the Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi.

“Yes, AICF has bid for the World Championship,” the new AICF president Nitin Narang told Hindustan Times.

On Tamil Nadu government submitted a separate and competing bid, he added:

“We are the only federation who have got the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the union government for the bid.”

According to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ policy, its approval is to be sought before bidding for any international event.

FIDE said it has received a bid from Singapore as well. The world chess body is expected to decide on the host this month.

“One of the criteria in favour of Singapore is that it’s a neutral venue,” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky told Chessbase India.

“It’s a bit of an internal clash. Fide for one would welcome the competition because it’s good that two major Indian cities want to host the event. We have to be very sensitive so as to not offend anyone and create any extra internal tension within India. Even if we split the match between two venues, still one of the three bidders will be disappointed,” Sutovsky stated.

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Tamil Nadu was the first to send the bid for the World Chess Championship

Indian Grandmaster Gukesh D created headlines after topping the standings in the FIDE Candidates 2024, winning the prestigious title. The Candidates winner will take on the World reigning champion to reveal the World Champion.

China’s reigning world champion Ding Liren and Indian teen sensation D Gukesh are all set to lock horns in the World Chess Championship encounter later this year.

Gukesh’s home state Tamil Nadu has put in a bid independent of the national federation on May 29, Thursday. However, AICF also sent in its competing bid on May 31, Saturday, the final day of submission for the World Chess Championship game.

Notably, Tamil Nadu has hosted multiple major chess events such as the World Championship in 2013 and the Olympiad in 2022. Meanwhile, Delhi hosted the first half of the World Championship in 2000.