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Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland, a prolific goalscorer, is now making strategic moves in the world of chess. He has become a strategic investor in a global championship tour, scheduled to launch next year, aiming to attract new audiences to the board game.

Haaland co-founded Chess Mates, a company set to become a significant owner of Norway Chess, which operates the Total Chess World Championship Tour.

“Chess is an incredible game,” he said in a Total Chess statement. “It sharpens the mind, and there are clear similarities to football. You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead.”

Haaland is starting to branch out with his business interests, launching his own YouTube channel last year that has more than 1.4 million subscribers.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland runs for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester City in London, England, Saturday, March 14, 2026 (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The 25-year-old Haaland has combined with Norwegian businessman Morten Borge for their undisclosed investment in chess, and said he wants to turn the game “into an even bigger sport for spectators around the world.”

The new tour will be hosted in four new cities and combine different disciplines in chess — fast classic, rapid and blitz — to crown a combined world champion with a minimum annual prize pool of $2.7 million.

Norway Chess chief executive Kjell Madland said Haaland had “already contributed with several great ideas.”