Kings and Queens are coming to Manhattan.
The World Chess Federation (FIDE) is hosting the 2016 World Chess Championship at the South Street Seaport from Nov. 11 to Nov. 30.
The match will take place in an arena to be built in the Fulton Market Building, with television studios, retailers and dining. The arena will also have dedicated spectator and VIP lounges with panoramic views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline.
Magnus Carlsen, 25, the current champion from Norway and the highest ranked player in history, will play his challenger, Sergey Karjakin, who’s 26 and from Russia, at the world championship match. The two will compete for a grand prize of at least $1.1 million.
Carlsen won the previous world championship match in Russia in 2014. The last American chess player to compete in the championship was Gata Kamsky in 1996.
“I and all New Yorkers welcome the World Chess Championship back to New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “What better place to be than the city where parks are often populated by chess enthusiasts.”
FIDE estimates that more than one billion global fans will tune in to the match, which will consist of 12 rounds.
