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Global Chess League gets into top gear in Dubai

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The Global Chess League (GCL), the world’s first and largest official franchise league of its kind, continued its multi-city celebration tour with a range of activities, including a flash mob, at the famous Times Square Centre in Dubai on Friday. The inaugural edition of the GCL will be held from June 21 to July 2 in the Gold city of Dubai.

Times Square Centre hosted a grand chess celebration with a blitz tournament for 160+ players, an impromptu flash mob, and a chess pop-up quiz to engage fans.

 

A spot blitz chess tournament was held at the Times Square mall in Dubai, which also saw a flash mob grab the audience attention. Supplied

Format and scoring 

The league, which introduces the franchise format to the sport of chess, also brings a completely new mixed-team format to the fore featuring the best from the ecosystem among men, women and U21 players.

Each team will have six players and a manager, who will be competing on six boards which will be played simultaneously.  While each board will be called a game, all six combined boards will be termed one match. Once the board order is decided, it cannot be altered after drawing lots while deciding the run order of play. And in each match, all the players of one team will play with the same colour.

A game won with Black pieces will result in 4 Game Points (GP) to the winning player. A victory for a player with White pieces will see them win 3 GP. A draw will be rewarded with 1 GP, and a defeat gets the player 0 GP. Each players’ GP will contribute to the Team’s total Match Points (MP).

With regards to the calculations on Match Points (MP), a Team which scores more GP than their opposition will be rewarded with a bonus of 3 MP. If both the Teams are level on GP, they will be awarded 1 MP each. However, if a team scores lesser GP than the opposing team, they won’t get any MP for that Match.

 

Scoring System for Game Points (GP) 

4 GP (3+1)

A player wins the Game with Black Pieces

3 GP

A player wins the Game with White Pieces

1 GP

Draw

0 GP

Defeat

 

Scoring System for Match Points (MP) 

3  MP

The team that scores more Game Points

1  MP

If both teams are level on Game Points

0  MP

The team that scores lesser Game Points than  the opponent

 

The Final will be played over best-of-2 matches. There will be a drawing of lots to determine which Team is White in Match 1, this team will then be black in Match 2. The team who wins more matches will be the Champion. In the event of a tie:

  • There will be a playoff blitz fixture, which will be a best-of-2 match. The team that was white in Match 1 and black in Match 2 will play white in Match 3 and black in Match 4. The time limit for each game will be all moves in 3 minutes plus 2 seconds. The Team that wins the most matches in the fixture will be the Champion.
  • If the Teams remain tied, there shall be a drawing of lots to determine a board from 1 to 6. The player from each Team on this board will then participate in a sudden-death blitz game. The time limit for this game will be 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move. The player from the Team who was white in Matches 1 and 3, will play white in this game.
  • If the sudden death blitz game is drawn, then the procedure is repeated except that the colour of the player from each team alternates from the colour the team had in the preceding sudden death blitz game.
  • If the tie remains unbroken, the above procedure is repeated until a sudden death blitz game has a winner.

 

Exciting Contests at Hand:

The Global Chess League kicks off on 22nd June after a glittering opening ceremony on the day before. Triveni Continental Kings will be up against upGrad Mumba Masters, starting the tournament in a grand manner.

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Asia Cup 2025 in UAE: Full schedule, teams, and the big India-Pakistan showdown

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Cricket fans in the UAE, get ready, the Asia Cup 2025 is heading your way, and the excitement starts on September 9.

The tournament opener will see Afghanistan take on Hong Kong China. Still, all eyes will be on the highly anticipated clash the next day: India vs UAE on September 10, marking the Men in Blue’s first match on Emirati soil in this edition.

Organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the Asia Cup is back for its 17th edition, bringing together eight nations divided into two action-packed groups.

Group A

  • India
  • Pakistan
  • UAE (hosts)
  • Oman

Group B

  • Sri Lanka
  • Bangladesh
  • Afghanistan
  • Hong Kong China

The big-ticket match everyone is waiting for? India vs Pakistan on September 14. And depending on how the Super 4 and final play out, these two rivals could face off up to three times in the tournament.

Format & Schedule Highlights

  • Group Stage: September 9 to 19
  • Super 4s: September 20 to 26
  • Final: September 28
    (All matches start at 6pm UAE time)

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 4 round, and the top two from there will battle it out in the final showdown on September 28.

Can India Defend Their Crown?

India enters the Asia Cup 2025 as the defending champions and the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with eight titles to their name. Sri Lanka follows closely with six, while Pakistan have won it twice.

This year’s tournament will be played in the T20 format, making it the perfect build-up to the T20 World Cup in 2026. The last time the Asia Cup was played in T20 format? Sri Lanka stunned Pakistan in 2022 to take the trophy.

Mark These Matches on Your Calendar:

  • Sep 10: India vs UAE
  • Sep 12: Pakistan vs Oman
  • Sep 14: India vs Pakistan (don’t miss this!)
  • Sep 17: Pakistan vs UAE
  • Sep 19: India vs Oman
  • Sep 28: Asia Cup Final

With high stakes, regional pride, and potential rivalries reignited, Asia Cup 2025 promises fireworks in the UAE, on and off the pitch.

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DP World ILT20 donates tournament gear to children in Madagascar through Gulf for Good partnership

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The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) is extending its impact well beyond the cricket pitch, to Madagascar, where children are now proudly wearing official ILT20 merchandise from last season, thanks to a charitable partnership with Gulf for Good, a UAE-based non-profit.

As part of its CSR initiative, the ILT20 has donated over 500 pieces of branded merchandise to children in need through Gulf for Good’s Outreach Programme. The initiative is part of a broader effort to support education and community development projects around the world, with over 2,000 children expected to benefit in the long run.

“This initiative is all about making a small contribution to a much bigger cause,” said David White, CEO of DP World ILT20.
“We’re proud to call the UAE our home, a country that is globally recognised for its generosity. As the region’s biggest cricket league, we are committed to making a positive impact beyond the field.”

Looking ahead: ILT20 Season 4 set for UAE National Day launch

The DP World ILT20 Season 4 will return in style this winter, kicking off with a blockbuster opening on UAE National Day (December 2) and wrapping up with the grand final on January 4, 2026. The six-team, 34-match tournament continues to grow in popularity, drawing international stars and thousands of fans from across the region.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket applications to open on September 10

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Football fans, mark your calendars: FIFA has announced that the first ticket application phase for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will open on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

The tournament, set to be the biggest FIFA World Cup ever, will be hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches.

With demand expected to be massive, FIFA is urging fans around the world to pre-register at FIFA.com/tickets and create a FIFA ID now to be ready for the draw.

“These will be the most coveted seats in world sport,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We’re excited to welcome the world back to North America for what will be the greatest sporting event ever.”

Key tournament dates

  • Opening match: Thursday, June 11, 2026 Mexico City
  • Final match: Sunday, July 19, 2026 – New York/New Jersey

The announcement follows the success of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, also hosted in the U.S., which drew nearly 2.5 million fans across 11 cities, a strong preview of what fans can expect in 2026.

What fans can expect

  • 48 national teams competing
  • Matches across 3 countries and multiple cities
  • 6.5 million fans expected to attend
  • First ticket draw opens September 10, 2025

Whether you’re planning a summer trip or simply want to be part of football history, now’s the time to act. Register your interest and get ready to secure your place for what’s set to be a truly unforgettable tournament

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