Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah are among several Premier League stars developing a strong passion for chess, contributing to a growing wave of interest in the game among younger audiences.

The Manchester City striker has become particularly engaged with chess, even investing in an innovative new tour aimed at taking advantage of the sport’s rising visibility, boosted by high-profile figures.

Alongside Haaland, Liverpool FC forward Salah, as well as England internationals Harry Kane, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Anthony Gordon, are all enthusiastic chess players.

Salah, in particular, is known for his love of fast-paced “blitz” chess, often playing online under an anonymous account.
“I’m addicted to chess. Every day, literally every day,” the Egyptian forward revealed.

Arsenal FC midfielders Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze also enjoy the game, with Eze even winning an amateur tournament in 2025.

Meanwhile, five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen is a well-known football enthusiast, and his passion for both disciplines has helped fuel this unexpected crossover between chess and football.

Alexander-Arnold frequently plays chess with his brothers and once took on Carlsen himself. However, the Norwegian grandmaster comfortably won their encounter in just 17 moves, wrapping up the game in around five minutes.

AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic has a tattoo of the queen chess piece on his arm, a tribute to his grandfather who introduced him to the game during his childhood.

Antoine Griezmann, a World Cup winner with France, and Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid are also known to be passionate about chess.

At first glance, the calm and strategic nature of chess seems very different from the intensity and physical demands of football. However, a closer look reveals several similarities between the two.

“Chess is an amazing game. It sharpens your thinking, and there are clear links to football,” said Erling Haaland.
“You need to make quick decisions, rely on instinct, and think several steps ahead. Strategy and planning are crucial.”

‘Striking similarities’

Supported by International Chess Federation, the new global tour will include four tournaments annually across different cities. A world champion will be decided based on performances in three formats — classical (fast-paced), rapid, and blitz.

Each season will offer a prize pool of at least £2 million ($2.7 million).

“Having a top athlete like Erling Haaland involved in the Total World Chess Championship Tour highlights the growing global interest and cultural importance of chess,” said Arkady Dvorkovich.

Quoted in the book Pep Confidential, Pep Guardiola highlighted the strong connection between the two games, saying: “You wouldn’t believe how similar they actually are.”

A passionate Real Madrid supporter, Magnus Carlsen shares a similar viewpoint to the former FC Barcelona coach.
“In both chess and football, controlling the centre is key. If you dominate the middle, you control the board or the pitch,” he explained. “When it comes to space, the resemblance is striking.”

However, whether the satisfaction of delivering a decisive checkmate could ever match the excitement of scoring a winning goal remains debatable for footballers who enjoy chess.

For Harry Kane, football is still his main passion, while chess serves as a way to unwind.

“I play chess to relax,” he said. “It’s a very mental challenge — you need to stay focused at all times.”