Erling Haaland backs $2.7M global Chess tour while balancing football form

Erling Haaland has invested in the Norway Chess organisation, backing a new global Total Chess tour launching next year. The series will host four annual events with a $2.7 million prize pool. Despite scoring just twice in 10 games recently, the Manchester City striker remains focused on football while expanding his business ventures.

For the multi-talented Erling Haaland, life off the pitch is as strategic as on it. The Manchester City striker has finalized an investment in the Norway Chess organisation, which will launch the Total Chess World Championship Tour next year. The tournament will feature four annual events in different cities, with champions crowned across ‘fast classic’, ‘rapid’, and ‘blitz’ formats, backed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Each season promises a minimum prize pool of $2.7 million, highlighting Haaland’s ambition to elevate chess globally.

Despite facing criticism for scoring only twice in his last ten appearances, Haaland remains a key figure in Pep Guardiola’s lineup. Norway manager Ståle Solbakken has granted him “special treatment” and reduced workload during the international break to ensure he is prepared for the Premier League title race and the upcoming World Cup. Off the field, Haaland has diversified his ventures, maintaining a YouTube channel with 1.4 million subscribers and collaborating with the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Haaland describes chess as a game that sharpens the mind, requiring quick thinking, instinct, and multi-step strategy, parallels to football. His involvement aims to make chess a more spectator-friendly global sport while balancing commitments with Norway and Manchester City, including key fixtures in the FA Cup and Premier League during April.