Soccer Players Jump Into Booming Chess World

BusinessSportsMoneySoccer Players Jump Into Booming Chess WorldByBeau Dure,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Beau Dure is a sports journalist and author of several soccer books.Follow AuthorAug 19, 2026, 12:12pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.SummaryNorwegian sports icons Erling Haaland and Magnus Carlsen, despite their differing fields, highlight their nation's athletic prowess. Carlsen, a chess grandmaster, is an avid soccer fan, while Haaland, a top goal-scorer, reciprocates by investing in chess, including the Total Chess World Championship. This trend reflects chess's surging global popularity, with many soccer players like Gerard Pique and Mo Salah now engaging with the game for its mental benefits. The boom is driven by online streaming, platforms like Chess.com, and media hits like "The Queen's Gambit." Modern chess has also embraced faster formats, with top players excelling in classical, rapid, and blitz disciplines. The U.S. is a rising force, boasting top-ranked players and strong teams in events like the Chess Olympiad, signaling a vibrant future for the sport.Show More Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland has invested in Norway Chess, helping to fund the Total Chess World Championship.Getty ImagesOn the surface, Norwegians Erling Haaland and Magnus Carlsen might not seem to have a lot in common.Haaland is one of the world’s most dominant goal-scorers in soccer — a contest of constant motion, with players covering anywhere from five to eight miles in the typical high-level game.Carlsen is the highest-rated player in the history of chess — a contest of constant sitting, with players staring intently at a board and trying to visualize a path to victory. Yes, they’re both from Norway, which is good in just about everything these days. The Scandinavian country of less than 6 million people has be...