Divya Deshmukh Wins FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup, Becomes Grandmaster

19-year-old International Master Divya Deshmukh of Maharashtra became the first Indian chess player to win the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup title by beating compatriot Grandmaster (GM) Koneru Humpy 1.5–0.5 in the tiebreaks. 

With this win, Divya Deshmukh also became the 88th Indian chess GM and the fourth woman to earn a GM norm 

The FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 was held at Batumi in Georgia from 6 -28 July 2025. The World Cup was played in the classical chess format. The top three players in the World Cup were to qualify for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidate Tournament. 

First Indian to win the Women’s Chess World Cup title

Divya Deshmukh is the first Indian and third player after GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2021) and GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2023) to win the prestigious FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup.

Divya Deshmukh faced the reigning women’s world rapid champion Koneru Humphy in the final of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025.

The first game between the two ended in a draw, and in the next 15+10 rapid tiebreak games, Deshmukh defeated Koneru Humpy.

With the win, Divya also secured a prize money of $50,000 (approximately Rs 41.6 lakh), while Humpy took home $35,000 (approximately Rs 29.1 lakh).

88th Chess Grandmaster of India & 4th Women

Divya Deshmukh also became the 88th Indian and fourth woman chess player to earn the coveted GM title.

Koneru Humpy was the first Indian woman to earn the GM title in 2002, followed by Harika Dronavalli (2011) and R. Vaishali in 2023.

The 87th GM was A Ra Harikrishnan of Tamil Nadu, who achieved this norm in July 2025 at the  La Plagne International Chess Festival in France.

Viswanatahan Anand was the first Indian to get the GM norm in 1988.

Grandmaster or GM norm is the highest title in Chess, and it is awarded to a player who has earned three International norms and 2500 Elo rating points in Standard or Classical Chess.

Another way to obtain the GM norm is by winning specific Elite Tournament titles recognised by FIDE, including the FIDE Women’s World Cup.

Thus, Divya Deshnukh got the GM norm after winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 title.

2026 FIDE Women’s Candidate Tournament

Three top players from the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 - GM Divya Deshmukh, GM Koneru Humpy and former Chinese World Champion Tan Zhongyi have qualified for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidate Tournament.

Eight players will play in the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidate Tournament, and the winner of the Tournament will take on the current Women's Chess Champion, GM Ju Wenjun of China, to decide the next FIDE Women's Chess World Champion.  

FIDE has not announced the host and schedule of the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidate Tournament.

About FIDE 

FIDE, the International Chess Federation, governs the sport of chess worldwide.

Members: 201 countries national chess federations.

Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

President: Arkady Dvorkovich