Poster girl of chess, Divya Deshmukh's World Cup win powers brand boom in chess

Chessboard to brand boards

According to marketers, her Gen Z (people born between 1996 and 2010) appeal and a winning streak make the young grandmaster prime endorsement material.

"Post her World Cup win, Divya can easily command Rs 25–40 lakh per annual endorsement deal, depending on category and usage rights. While she may not yet operate in the Rs 1-crore-fee bracket like top cricketers or Olympic medalists, her media buzz, youth appeal and category exclusivity make her an undervalued gem in the endorsement world right now. If she maintains this form, her valuation could double ahead of the next Asian Games or global championships," Agarwal said.

With Indian chess stars dominating the global stage, their glory hasn't gone unnoticed by brands, and sponsorship money has started to trickle in for them. For instance, grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has a $1.5-million sponsorship deal with Singapore-based quantitative trading firm Quantbox. Or consider, Pravaha Foundation, which will be supporting six women chess players over two years with a Rs 2-crore funding corpus.

Arora underlined that Deshmukh is entering the market at a peak moment with a clean slate. "With continued performance and the right positioning, that figure (endorsement fee) can easily rise to Rs 1–1.25 crore over the next few years. She’s now a valuable marketing asset in India’s growing sports economy, where brands are open to explore non-cricket athletes, especially women," he said.

She has all the ingredients brands look for—a historic achievement, youth appeal, good digital presence and a powerful personal story, he added. "For brands wanting to align with ambition and authenticity, she’s a perfect fit. The fact that she’s achieved this feat at such a young age, you will have a more intellectually skewed brand look to sign her, for a long term. With smart positioning and visibility across digital, educational and youth-centric platforms, she can become an aspirational figure beyond just the chess board," he pointed out.

It’s rare to find a young female athlete who sits at the intersection of global achievement, cultural relatability and a rising interest in cerebral sports like chess, Agarwal said. And her win comes at a time brands are moving beyond just mass-market appeal, he added.

"Brands today are increasingly drawn to narratives of intelligence, strategy and resilience—qualities that chess, and Divya in particular, represent perfectly," said Abhishek Sharma, managing partner, ISG, a sports marketing firm.

He added that chess is gaining massive visibility in India, and athletes like Deshmukh are becoming relatable icons for audiences who value intellect and performance.

Chess on the brand map

Among the currently active lot, Arora said that D Gukesh leads the chess endorsement space with high-profile partnerships also aided by a World Championship win under his belt. R Praggnanandhaa isn’t far behind, with long-term brand support and a strong fan base, he said.

"They’ve helped chess break into the commercial mainstream and with age on her side, Divya’s win could push that door further wide open for non-cricket women athletes in sport," Arora added.

Several Indian chess players are now signing brand deals across categories, which reflects the growing appeal of the sport, Sharma noted. "Chess is no longer niche—it’s becoming mainstream, and this is just the beginning of a major shift in the endorsement landscape."

Praggnanandhaa has inked deals with brands like Puma and has a growing online footprint, Agarwal noted.

"With over 15 Indian players under age 25 now ranked globally and the rise of streaming formats like Chess.com and YouTube blitz showdowns, chess is no longer a quiet, niche sport. It’s becoming content-friendly, youth-first and digitally scalable. Divya’s win adds further momentum, especially for brands keen on associating with intellect-led, gender-progressive narratives," he said.

Online boom

Chess is gaining momentum both offline and online. The game is in the spotlight in the ongoing Esports World Cup (EWC) with Erigaisi securing a place at EWC 2025 through the Champions Chess Tour. Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, has also qualified for the tournament.

Chess at EWC 2025 features a prize pool of $1.5 million or around Rs 12.9 crore.

The rise of online chess, its boom during the lockdown era, the emergence of chess streamers and the involvement of esports organisations are all playing a key role in the evolution of the sport.

In 2024, Chess.com recorded over 7.6 billion games played and crossed 200 million registered users globally. India accounts for over 9 million monthly active players, adding 550,000 new signups each month. Viewership has also surged, with 925 million organic views this year, marking a 640 percent year-on-year growth.

Gaming companies like Nodwin, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, is also focusing on chess. It had collaborated with Chess.com and ChessBase India to stream the World Chess Championship 2024, where India’s Gukesh defeated Ding Liren to become the World Chess Champion.

The event had garnered over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership reaching 200,000.