Gerard Pique, the former Spanish international and founder of the media company Kosmos, has officially entered the chess world as a strategic shareholder. His investment in the Global Chess League (GCL) franchise, American Gambits, was announced during a press event in Bengaluru, India, on Monday.
Reflecting on his new venture, the former Barcelona star noted that he has long been drawn to the game. “Chess has fascinated me for a long time because of its depth, its global appeal and the incredible mental strength it demands,” Pique stated.
Pique is not the only high-profile athlete turning his attention to the board. The sport is currently undergoing a significant commercial evolution, moving away from its traditional roots to become a modern, televised entertainment property. This shift has attracted a variety of sports stars, including Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Norwegian cross-country skiing legend Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, both of whom invested in chess projects earlier this year.
Morten Borge, the Norwegian investor who facilitated Haaland’s involvement, believes the transition is natural. “There are so many interesting parallels,” Borge told Reuters. He explained that while Haaland is known for his physical prowess on the pitch, elite football requires the same level of preparation, timing, and strategic foresight found in chess.
According to Borge, Haaland was particularly attracted to the mental discipline and strategic thinking required to perform under pressure. This sentiment is echoed across the sporting world, where figures like former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have frequently cited chess as a foundational element for tactical planning.
The trend extends to other disciplines as well, with athletes such as Mohamed Salah, Boris Becker, and Novak Djokovic reportedly using the game to enhance their concentration and pattern recognition skills. In the business sphere, former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has also joined the ownership group of the American Gambits.
The Global Chess League, a joint initiative between FIDE and Indian technology firm Tech Mahindra, is central to this commercial push. By introducing shorter, faster formats tailored for digital audiences and television, organizers aim to capitalize on the game’s massive global player base.
Borge remains optimistic about the financial potential of this expansion. “When you can commercialize a narrow sport like darts, and when almost a billion people around the world play chess, the opportunity is obvious,” he remarked.
The American Gambits are now preparing for the fourth edition of the GCL, which is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru this September.
