Erling Haaland and Johannes Klaebo Back $10 Million Norway Chess Tour Expansion

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has joined Norway Chess as an investor alongside Erling Haaland. A group including Klæbo added $10 million to the Total Chess World Championship Tour, featuring three formats. Approved by FIDE, the pilot event is set for November 10-24, with full launch in 2027.

In the latest development around global chess, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has joined the list of celebrity investors in the Norway Chess-backed Total Chess World Championship project. Klaebo, widely regarded as one of the most successful Winter Olympians with 11 Olympic gold medals, becomes part of the venture just weeks after Erling Haaland, the star striker of Manchester City, also invested in the same initiative.

The announcement confirmed that Klaebo is among a group of investors contributing an additional $10 million to support the growth of the Total Chess World Championship Tour. Financial firm Arctic Securities is assisting as adviser and placement agent for this capital raise.

The funds will be used to develop a new global chess competition aimed at crowning a World Combined Champion across three formats: Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz. The project has already received approval from the International Chess Federation, strengthening its credibility on the global stage. A pilot tournament is scheduled from November 10-24, while the full championship season is expected to begin in 2027, marking a new era for professional chess.