Global Chess League Season 4 will begin with its player draft in Mumbai on June 29 before the tournament in Bengaluru from September 3 to 13. Magnus Carlsen returns after missing last season, while reigning FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh will make her GCL debut as six franchises assemble their squads.

Mumbai, June 27: The Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, will return for its fourth season, with the Season 4 Player Draft set to take place in Mumbai on June 29, ahead of the league in Bengaluru from September 3–13.

The player draft will feature the return of Magnus Carlsen after a season away, while reigning FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh is set to make her Global Chess League debut in Season 4.

The Season 4 player pool features 36 Grandmasters across generations, including World Champions, World Cup winners, Olympiad medallists and leading names from the global chess circuit. With a mix of retained stars and players entering the draft, franchises will have a wide field to shape balanced six-player squads across categories.

Since its launch, the Global Chess League has redefined elite chess through its franchise-based mixed-team format and technology-led fan experience. Hosted in India for the first time, Season 3 marked a major milestone for the league, setting new benchmarks with AI-powered in-arena innovations, enhanced broadcast experiences and the continued expansion of GCL Contenders, its global talent pathway initiative. The season concluded with Alpine SG Pipers being crowned champions after a dominant performance in the final.