Gerard Pique backs chess venture as Global Chess League targets wider audience

Gerard Pique has become a strategic investor in an American Gambits team competing in the Global Chess League, joining a growing group of sporting figures – including Erling Haaland – investing in a game increasingly being developed as a global entertainment and commercial product.

The former Spain and Barcelona footballer, who won the 2010 World Cup and founded the sports and media company Kosmos, was announced as a shareholder in American Gambits at a news conference in Bengaluru, India, on Monday.

“Chess has always interested me because of its depth, global appeal and the tremendous mental strength it requires,” Pique said in a statement reported by Asharq Al-Awsat.

His investment comes as organisers and investors seek to expand chess beyond its traditional identity through international competitions, digital content, sponsorship agreements and live-streaming platforms.

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin is also among the shareholders in American Gambits.

Haaland became one of the most prominent sports personalities to enter chess investment after joining the project with the backing of Norwegian investor Morten Borge.

“There are many interesting similarities. Although Erling looks like a beast on the pitch, football at the highest level is also about preparation, strategy, timing and understanding the decisive moments. From that perspective, there are similarities with chess,” Borge said.

He added that Haaland had been drawn to chess because of its emphasis on strategic thinking and mental discipline, qualities that are considered essential for maintaining performance under pressure.

Pique and Haaland’s involvement reflects a wider relationship between chess and elite sport. An increasing number of athletes have turned to the game as a way of improving concentration and developing decision-making skills.

Pep Guardiola, the former Manchester City manager, has referred to chess and strategy on numerous occasions when discussing football.

Other high-profile sportspeople have also spoken publicly about their connection with the game and its value as a mental training tool. They include former Liverpool player Mohamed Salah, as well as tennis greats Boris Becker and Novak Djokovic.

For investors, chess is also presenting growing commercial opportunities. The Global Chess League, supported by Indian technology company Tech Mahindra and the International Chess Federation, is seeking to broaden the game’s audience through shorter formats designed to work more effectively for television and digital platforms.

Borge believes chess is following the path taken by other specialist sports that have successfully moved beyond their traditional fan bases and attracted wider audiences.

“When you can market a niche sport, like darts, and when roughly one billion people around the world play chess, the opportunity is clear,” he said.

The Global Chess League is attempting to make the game more accessible to new audiences while retaining its strategic character. Its approach places greater emphasis on fast-paced competition and formats suited to modern broadcasting and online viewing.

American Gambits are due to compete in the fourth edition of the Global Chess League, which will be held in Bengaluru next month. Pique’s arrival as a strategic shareholder adds another major sporting name to a competition seeking to establish chess as a global entertainment property as well as a competitive discipline.