GCL Season 4 Draft: Carlsen returns, Divya set for debut - all you need to know

Divya Deshmukh and Magnus Carlsen (Agency Photos)

The Global Chess League (GCL) is set to return for its fourth season with the much-awaited Season 4 Player Draft scheduled to take place in Mumbai on June 29. The league will once again bring together some of the biggest names in world chess before the tournament gets underway in Bengaluru from September 3 to 13.

One of the biggest highlights of the upcoming season is the return of world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who missed the previous edition. Another major talking point is the debut of reigning FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh, who will make her first appearance in the franchise-based tournament.

When And Where Will The Global Chess League Season 4 Take Place?

The Global Chess League Season 4 Player Draft will be held in Mumbai on June 29, while the main tournament will be staged in Bengaluru from September 3 to September 13.

The season will conclude with the title-deciding final on September 13.

How Does The Global Chess League Draft Work?

The six participating franchises will assemble six-player squads through the player draft. Each team must pick players across four categories:

One Icon player

Two Superstar Men

Two Superstar Women

One Prodigy

The league follows a unique six-board rapid format, where every board carries equal importance, creating a balanced and competitive team structure.

Which Players Are Available In The Season 4 Draft?

The Season 4 player pool features 36 Grandmasters from across the world, including World Champions, World Cup winners, Olympiad medallists and rising stars.

Among the biggest names available in the draft are:

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Javokhir Sindarov

Koneru Humpy

Alexandra Kosteniuk

Ian Nepomniachtchi

Levon Aronian

Volodar Murzin

Leon Luke Mendonca

Divya Deshmukh

Which Teams Will Participate In Global Chess League Season 4?

The six franchises competing in Season 4 are:

upGrad Mumba Masters

Fyers American Gambits

Ganges Grandmasters

Triveni Continental Kings

PBG Alaskan Knights

Alpine SG Pipers

SG Pipers clinch GCL season 3 title (GCL Photo)

The defending champions, Alpine SG Pipers, will return after winning the previous edition with a dominant performance in the final.Since its launch, the Global Chess League has introduced a franchise-based mixed-team format to elite chess.With Magnus Carlsen returning, Divya Deshmukh making her debut and several world-class players available in the draft, the Season 4 Player Draft in Mumbai promises to set the stage for another exciting edition of the Global Chess League.