"Manchester City" striker Erling Haaland has become one of the investors in a new project called the Total Chess World Championship Tour, according to The Sun. The initiative aims to bring chess to a wider audience and turn it into a more visible and popular global event.
The 25-year-old Norway international is known to have a strong interest in chess and decided to support a concept designed to make the game more entertaining for spectators. His fellow Norwegian, grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, is also expected to take part in the tournament, which could give the project even greater attention.
Haaland said chess and football share many similarities. In his view, both require quick thinking, intuition and the ability to see several moves ahead. Those qualities, he believes, connect the mental side of chess with the tactical demands of top-level football.
As part of the agreement, Haaland and investor Morten Borg have co-founded Chess Mates, a company that is among the key organizers of the new Norway Chess tour. The launch of the project is scheduled for the second half of 2026.
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