According to international media, Haaland will join Norwegian businessman Morten Borge to establish Chess Mates. This company will become a major shareholder of Norway Chess - a super chess tournament for the best players held annually since 2013.
Chess is a great game. It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities with football. You have to think fast, trust your intuition and plan a few moves in advance. Strategy and plan are everything," Haaland said.
Borge added: "Chess is ultimately about strategy and long-term thinking. These qualities also shape top sports and the ability to invest wisely over time. I even promised to coach Erling chess a little bit.
Erling Haaland, a player currently playing for Man City, is one of the most famous players in the world. People hope that with his support, the image of chess will be enhanced and attract more fans and new audiences to this sport.
I invest in Norway Chess because I believe that the Total Chess World Championship Tour tournament can make chess an even more attractive sport to audiences around the world. The team behind Norway Chess has done an impressive job in developing this event, and participating in this project is really exciting for me," Haaland said.
The Total Chess World Championship Tour will include four tournaments each year, held in four different cities. The tournament will find the world champion in three categories – standard chess, rapid chess and blitz chess – with a total annual prize of at least $2.7 million.
This new tournament has been approved by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for a minimum term of 16 years. A trial tournament is scheduled to take place in the fall of 2026, followed by a full championship season in 2027.
Kjell Madland, CEO of Norway Chess and Total Chess, welcomed Haaland's investment and participation as a long-term strategic partner.
He said: "We expect this new championship to become one of the most prestigious events in the global chess history. Erling's participation with us as an investor speaks volumes about the commercial potential of this tournament.
Erling has a huge fan base globally and is truly a world-class chess player in creating magical sports moments. I am absolutely sure that he will bring great value to Total Chess, helping to create greater interest in the attractive world of chess and attract more new audiences.
He has contributed some great ideas. With Erling's participation, we are currently entering the final stage of finding host cities for the first tournament.
