The Global Chess League has only been running since 2023, but it already has a dynasty and a plot twist. The winners are teams, not individuals — six-player franchise squads of world-class men, women, and prodigies. Below is the complete list of champions by season, plus the records and award winners worth knowing. (Reigning champions as of July 2026: the Alpine SG Pipers.)
Global Chess League champions by season
| Season | Year | Host city | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 | Dubai | Triveni Continental Kings | upGrad Mumba Masters |
| 2 | 2024 | London | Triveni Continental Kings | PBG Alaskan Knights |
| 3 | 2025 | Mumbai | Alpine SG Pipers | Triveni Continental Kings |
Season 4 is scheduled for Bengaluru, 3–13 September 2026 — not yet played as of July 2026.
Season by season
2023 — Triveni Continental Kings (Dubai)
The inaugural season (21 June – 2 July 2023) ended in a thriller. Captained by Levon Aronian, the Triveni Continental Kings met the upGrad Mumba Masters — led by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave — in the final. With the match level, it went all the way to a fourth blitz tiebreaker, where teenager Jonas Buhl Bjerre beat Javokhir Sindarov to win it in sudden death. India’s own Praggnanandhaa was named Most Valuable Player of the season; Bjerre took MVP of the final.
2024 — Triveni Continental Kings (London)
In Season 2 (3–14 October 2024, London), Triveni proved the first title was no fluke. Now led on the Icon board by Alireza Firouzja, they went back-to-back, beating Anish Giri’s PBG Alaskan Knights in the final. Alexandra Kosteniuk was named MVP of the final after winning both her games, while Nihal Sarin and Alina Kashlinskaya were honoured as Male and Female Players of the Season.
2025 — Alpine SG Pipers (Mumbai)
Season 3 (14–23 December 2025, Mumbai) is where the dynasty finally cracked. The Alpine SG Pipers, captained by Fabiano Caruana, beat the two-time champion Triveni Continental Kings (with Firouzja back on top board) 2–0 in the final to claim their first title. Anish Giri was MVP of the final; Alireza Firouzja took Male Player of the Season and Hou Yifan Female Player of the Season.
Records & milestones
- Most titles: Triveni Continental Kings, with 2 (2023 and 2024) — the league’s only multi-time champions so far.
- First champions: Triveni Continental Kings, winners of the inaugural 2023 season in Dubai.
- Only other winner: the Alpine SG Pipers, who broke through in 2025 to become the league’s second-ever champion team.
- Different city every season: Dubai (2023) London (2024) Mumbai (2025) Bengaluru (scheduled 2026).
- Most decisive final: Alpine’s clean 2–0 sweep of Triveni in the 2025 final.
Frequently asked questions
Who has won the most Global Chess League titles? The Triveni Continental Kings, with two (2023 and 2024). No other team has won more than once through the 2025 season.
Who won the first Global Chess League? The Triveni Continental Kings, in the inaugural 2023 season in Dubai, beating the upGrad Mumba Masters in a sudden-death final.
Who are the current Global Chess League champions? The Alpine SG Pipers, led by Fabiano Caruana, who won the 2025 season in Mumbai (as of July 2026).
Are Global Chess League winners teams or individuals? Teams. Each champion is a six-player franchise squad, though the league also hands out individual awards like MVP of the final and Male/Female Player of the Season.
Explore more
Learn how the format and scoring work on the Global Chess League hub · See the sport’s top individual prize at the World Chess Championship · Browse profiles of the players who star each season.
Researched and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Verified against Wikipedia, the official Global Chess League site, and Chess.com · Champions and records current as of July 2026 · Last verified 2026-07-11 · How we verify content.