Nihal Sarin Heads to Paris for Chess at EWC 2026 — India’s Chess Campaign Builds Momentum

India’s chess campaign at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris is one of the country’s most high-profile international gaming appearances of the year, and it’s happening right now. GM Nihal Sarin, competing under S8UL Esports, secured his spot at EWC 2026 through the Champions Chess Tour Leaderboard, earning a direct invitation to represent India in competitive chess at the world’s biggest esports event.

What the EWC Chess Format Looks Like

The chess competition at EWC 2026 features 128 players from across the globe divided into groups of eight, with 64 advancing through to a single-elimination playoff bracket. The format uses rapid chess with a 10+0 time control — fast-paced and unforgiving, rewarding players who can calculate quickly and handle pressure. The field includes some of the biggest names in world chess: Magnus Carlsen of Norway, Hikaru Nakamura representing the United States, Alireza Firouzja from France, and Jan-Krzysztof Duda from Poland are all confirmed competitors.

Why This Is a Big Moment for India

Nihal Sarin is one of India’s most talented rapid chess players and has demonstrated his calibre at the highest levels of the game throughout 2026 — most recently defeating world champion Gukesh twice in the Menorca Masters. He is joined in India’s EWC chess campaign by GM Mitrabha Guha, who qualified through the regional qualifier for Middle East, India, and Central Asia after finishing as the only unbeaten player in the entire Swiss stage. Their appearance at EWC 2026 also feeds directly into preparations for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 Chess event in Riyadh in November, where both Nihal and Mitrabha will represent India on the national team stage as well.