Batumi (Georgia), Jul 25 (PTI) For the first time, the FIDE Women’s World Cup will have an Indian champion, with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh set to clash in the final on Saturday.
This marks the first all-Indian final in the tournament’s history. Both players have already secured spots in the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026.
Humpy, 38, overcame top seed Tingjie Lei of China in a dramatic tiebreaker in the semifinals, while 19-year-old Deshmukh defeated former world champion Zhongyi Tan.
“It’s one of the happiest moments for chess fans because now the title will go to India for sure,” Humpy told FIDE.
Deshmukh, who stunned second seed Jiner Zhu and compatriot D Harika earlier, said, “These days have been so anxious for me. I think I messed up in the middlegame, but I got lucky in the end.”
Saturday’s final will feature two classical games, followed by tiebreakers if required. The winner will earn USD 50,000, while the runner-up will take home USD 35,000.