Mumbai: The Global Chess League, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, today announced JioCinema as the OTT partner for the inaugural edition. From 22 June 2023, onwards, all the matches of the league being held in Dubai will be streamed LIVE on the platform.

As part of JioCinema’s commitment to helping the Global Chess League reach a wider audience, the league will be streamed free to all viewers.

Viacom18 - sports head of strategy, partnerships & acquisitions Hursh Shrivastava, said, “We are excited to be a part of the chess revolution that the Global Chess League will bring about. Through JioCinema, we will provide a one-of-a-kind experience for chess fans while also helping the sport grow its fan base. We are looking forward to a successful partnership with the league”.

The annual league will feature a unique mixed-team format wherein, each of the six franchises will play a total of 10 matches in a double round-robin format, with the winner of each match being decided in a best-of-six board scoring system played simultaneously. The top two teams will compete for the Global Chess League Championship title on July 2nd, 2023.

Global Chess League Board chairperson Jagdish Mitra said, “One of the league's core objectives is to promote and popularise chess worldwide. With JioCinema, we have the ideal partner for bringing the league closer to the audience. We are confident that the league will reach new heights as the world's most-watched and engaging chess league. We look forward to a successful collaboration with JioCinema in setting new standards for fan engagement”.

The league will also set the standards for technological innovations in the sport of chess as Tech Mahindra and FIDE will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others.