Team Liquid Signs Magnus Carlsen to Form Chess Esports Superteam
Team Liquid is making the ultimate power move into the world of professional chess, doubling down on top talent by signing multi-time world champion Magnus Carlsen to its roster.
This move comes just 24 hours after Liquid signed America's youngest chess Grandmaster and the third-highest rated player of all-time, Fabiano Caruana.
Carlsen, who many consider to be the greatest, chess player of all-time, is a five-time World Chess Champion, five-time World Rapid Chess Champion, an eight-time World Blitz Chess Champion, and is the reigning Chess World Cup Champion. He has held the top spot on the International Chess Federation (FIDE) world chess rankings since July 1, 2011. Not only did he hit the highest peak rating in chess history at 2,882, but he holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak in elite classical chess at 125 games.
“We've signed the greatest chess player of all time in Magnus, and I could not be more thrilled. This is the biggest signing in Team Liquid's history and a dream player for any team. There aren't many athletes who transcend their game in the way that Magnus does. He is in a class all to himself and we're honored that he has chosen us as his home in chess' esports era,” Liquid co-CEO Steve Arhancet said. “Chess is going through an evolution as a spectator sport, and for the scene to grow, introducing more freestyle and rapid formats will bring new and fresh interest into the game. This goes for both the players as well as spectators of the competitive scene. We want to be a part of that new ecosystem and drive growth for chess."
This signing has been rumored since Feb. 11 as Liquid was circling top chess talent for the Esports World Cup, announcing chess as part of the 2025 roster. Other teams like Gen.G and LGD Gaming were quick to snap up other top players.
Related Article: Esports World Cup Announces Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves for 2025 Lineup
Magnus now teams up with Caruana, who is a four-time US Open Champion and the current number 2 player in the world, just behind Carlsen himself on Chess.com, as Liquid puts itself in the best position to become the top chess “team in the world." Beyond that, Carlsen views this as another chance to champion chess to a new audience via competition and Liquid’s socials and content channels.
"It is so exciting to be a part of what I believe is the biggest and best esports team in the world. As one of the biggest names in chess myself, partnering up with the best team and a fun brand is a perfect fit,” Carlsen said in a release. “In this digital age, we're finding that chess in an esports setting is tremendously exciting, and that's where I see the future of chess in faster formats. I look forward to chess players becoming staples of esports teams from now on.”
Both Carlsen and Caruana will debut for Liquid at the Champions Chess Tour Chessable Masters 2025 on Feb. 16.
Team Liquid at the Esports World Cup 2025
With Carlsen joining Caruana on Liquid, the team appears to be a near undefeatable force heading into the Esports World Cup 2025.
While there is always a chance for a team kill to occur at some point during the bracket, having two of the undisputed top players in the world makes it hard to consider any other team a contender in a game with such consistency at the highest level.
That gives Liquid another potential feather in its EWC 2025 cap after the team finished second in Dota 2, third in Rainbow Six Siege, League of Legends, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang last year. Liquid finished a distant second to Team Falcons in the Club Championship standings last year, something the org is looking to change with these dominant signings.
What to Read Next
feed
