Global soccer superstar Erling Haaland has entered the chess world as an investor in Norway Chess, backing the launch of the ambitious new Total Chess World Championship Tour—an elite circuit expected to feature GM Magnus Carlsen.
“Chess is an incredible game,” Haaland said in a press release. “It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football. You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead.”
Chess is an incredible game.
—Erling Haaland
For years, Carlsen was arguably the most famous Norwegian on the planet. That position has long since been taken over by Haaland, Manchester City’s goal-scoring machine, who now boasts more than 40 million followers on Instagram. The 25-year-old has been breaking Premier League records left and right, and last year he also became Norway’s all-time goal scorer, taking a record from 1934.
Today, Haaland is one of the world’s highest-paid athletes, earning around $80 million, according to Forbes. An interest in the game from a superstar of Haaland’s caliber is a big deal, and it’s likely the first time an elite footballer has made a major financial investment in professional chess.
Haaland is investing through Chess Mates, a new company co-founded with Norwegian businessman Morten Borge, which will become a significant owner of Norway Chess. While the size of the investment has not been disclosed, it is understood to be substantial, according to The Guardian. According to Norwegian newspaper VG, Haaland’s new company now has a 25% share in Norway Chess.
The Guardian, which first reported on the “striking gambit,” said the deal was agreed shortly before Manchester City’s game against West Ham last Saturday, where Haaland was seen wearing a Norway Chess cap.
At the center of the investment is the Total Chess World Championship Tour, the new initiative that aims to crown an entirely new World Combined champion across three time controls. The initiative is backed by FIDE and aims to establish a consistent global circuit.
A pilot event for that tour is scheduled for October this year, followed by the first full season in 2027. Each season will feature a minimum prize fund of $2.7 million, making it one of the most lucrative events on an increasingly packed chess calendar.
“I’m investing in Norway Chess because I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world,” Haaland said. “The team behind Norway Chess has already done an impressive job growing the event.”
I believe the new Total Chess World Championship Tour can turn chess into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world.
—Erling Haaland
The organizers revealed the logo for the event on their new account on X.
— Total Chess (@TotalChess) March 18, 2026
Kjell Madland, CEO of Norway Chess and Total Chess, said: “The fact that Erling is joining us as an investor says a great deal about the commercial potential of this tour. Erling has an enormous global following and is truly world-class when it comes to creating magical sporting moments.”
Haaland’s business partner Borge is also no stranger to chess. He is the CEO of Ferd, a Norwegian family-owned investment company and industrial group owned by the Andresen family. The company is backing Business Meets Chess & Kids, an initiative that pairs adult executives as mentors to underprivileged children via the game of chess. The company is also supporting several Norwegian chess talents, such as 21-year-old rising star, GM Elham Amar.
In a post on LinkedIn, Borge said he learned chess from his grandfather when he was four years old:
Chess has been a quiet but constant passion throughout my life, something I’ve returned to many times—often as a way to clear my mind and reset.
What I’ve always loved about the game is how it combines play, creativity and deep strategic thinking. It brings people together across generations, countries and cultures. On a chessboard, everyone starts equal.
Haaland’s investment comes at a time when the chess world has seen a rise in interest among a number of top footballers. Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze made headlines by winning the $15,000 PogChamps 6 on Chess.com, appeared at the Speed Chess Championship Finals in London, and also checkmated Carlsen in an ad for a footwear brand this month.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has previously revealed he plays on Chess.com, describing himself to be around 1400-rated and “good, but not Magnus,” and hailing the Norwegian as “the best endgame player ever”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is also known to be a chess fan, and has spoken of the similarities between chess and football, even incorporating its ideas into his coaching. The legendary manager met face-to-face with Carlsen in 2023 for a discussion about chess and soccer.
Haaland’s chess investment comes as a surprise given his previous comments on the game. In a light-hearted 2020 interview with VG, he was asked questions by various Norwegian celebrities. One of the questions came from Carlsen himself: “Do you like chess?”
Best of luck @ErlingHaaland
Can’t wait to see how you develop and perform under Pep👀🔥 https://t.co/aGGsHKwOW2 pic.twitter.com/v1OsDfrOnq
— Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) May 10, 2022
The then 21-year-old, who played for German side Borussia Dortmund, responded laughingly, “No, I have actually never been interested,” before later adding, “I have a couple of friends who like it, but I can’t understand how they can like it.”
His close friend Erik Botheim, who plays for Swedish top-tier side Malmo, is a known chess fan playing at a 2100 level.
Meanwhile, this year’s Norway Chess is only two months away, with the 14th edition entering a new era after moving to Oslo.