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Most popular chess events
Viewership rankings for chess tournaments — FIDE championships, the Champions Chess Tour, Esports World Cup chess and creator events. Peak viewers, hours watched, air time and prize pools, tracked live from Twitch, YouTube and Kick broadcasts. Open any tournament for its full stats page, or check what's on right now and what's coming next below.
Total chess tournaments
523
All-time Peak Viewers
613 439
Total Prize Pool (Since 2019)
$66 984 616
Recent chess tournaments
FinishedTitled Tuesday September 8, 2026
Titled Tuesday
08.09.2026 – 08.09.2026
Chess.com Duck Chess Championship 2026
Chess.com Community Championships
02.09.2026 – 04.09.2026
Titled Tuesday September 1, 2026
Titled Tuesday
01.09.2026 – 01.09.2026
Titled Tuesday August 25, 2026
Titled Tuesday
25.08.2026 – 25.08.2026
Titled Tuesday August 18, 2026
Titled Tuesday
18.08.2026 – 18.08.2026
Upcoming chess tournaments
UpcomingWomen's Chess Olympiad 2026
16.09.2026 – 27.09.2026
16.09.2026 – 27.09.2026
Chess Olympiad 2026
16.09.2026 – 27.09.2026
16.09.2026 – 27.09.2026
Atyrau Open 2026 - Masters
12.10.2026 – 20.10.2026
12.10.2026 – 20.10.2026
UK Open Blitz Championship 2026 - Women
21.11.2026 – 21.11.2026
21.11.2026 – 21.11.2026
UK Open Blitz Championship 2026
21.11.2026 – 21.11.2026
21.11.2026 – 21.11.2026
| # | EventHours Watched | DatesHours Watched |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2024 FIDE World Championship 25.11.2024 – 12.12.2024 12 919 203 | 25.11.2024 – 12.12.2024 12 919 203 |
| 2 | FIDE World Championship 2021 26.11.2021 – 10.12.2021 12 608 438 | 26.11.2021 – 10.12.2021 12 608 438 |
| 3 | FIDE World Championship 2023 09.04.2023 – 01.05.2023 11 435 661 | 09.04.2023 – 01.05.2023 11 435 661 |
| 4 | FIDE Candidates Chess Tournaments 2024 04.04.2024 – 22.04.2024 9 931 079 | 04.04.2024 – 22.04.2024 9 931 079 |
| 5 | FIDE World Cup 2023 30.07.2023 – 24.08.2023 8 453 152 | 30.07.2023 – 24.08.2023 8 453 152 |
| 6 | FIDE Candidates 2022 17.06.2022 – 04.07.2022 8 402 149 | 17.06.2022 – 04.07.2022 8 402 149 |
| 7 | Chess.com Pogchamps 3 14.02.2021 – 01.03.2021 7 130 847 | 14.02.2021 – 01.03.2021 7 130 847 |
| 8 | FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 29.03.2026 – 15.04.2026 6 740 115 | 29.03.2026 – 15.04.2026 6 740 115 |
| 9 | Chess World Championship 2018 09.11.2018 – 28.11.2018 5 865 784 | 09.11.2018 – 28.11.2018 5 865 784 |
| 10 | Opera Euro Rapid 06.02.2021 – 14.02.2021 5 331 345 | 06.02.2021 – 14.02.2021 5 331 345 |
Delve into the realm of chess influencers and unlock the power of audience statistics. Discover the secrets to engaging your viewers and take control of your tournament's success with comprehensive data-driven strategies.
Book a callChess events FAQ
What are the most popular chess tournaments of all time?
The top 5 chess tournaments by hours watched are:What are the most popular chess tournaments in 2026?
The most popular 2026 chess tournaments by hours watched so far are:Which chess tournaments are going on right now?
These chess tournaments are live right now:What's the next chess tournament?
The following chess events will take place over the next 30 days:
What was the latest chess tournament?
The most recently finished chess tournaments on Chess Watch are:Who won the last major chess tournament?
The latest major chess tournament (prize pool of $1,000,000 or more) was Esports World Cup 2026 with a $1,500,000 prize pool. Podium: 1. Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen, 2. Denis Lazavik, 3. Christopher Hikaru Nakamura.What was the most popular year for chess?
By viewership, 2021 is the record year with a peak of 613,439 concurrent viewers. By prize money, 2025 leads with $18,138,005 awarded across 131 tournaments.How is chess tournament viewership measured?
Chess Watch continuously monitors live chess broadcasts on Twitch, YouTube and Kick. Peak Viewers is the highest concurrent audience observed during the event, Hours Watched is total viewer-hours across all covering channels, and Air Time is total live broadcast hours. Figures come from observed stream data, not estimates.How many chess tournaments does Chess Watch track?
Chess Watch tracks 523 chess tournaments with a combined prize pool of $66,984,616. Every event page shows peak viewers, hours watched, air time and the channels that broadcast it.Can I get a full viewership report for a chess tournament?
Yes. Chess Watch prepares turnkey tournament analytics: audience size, peak viewers, hours watched, platform and channel breakdowns, and sponsor exposure on stream. Use the Contact Us form in the site navigation to request a report for your event.