GM Andrey Esipenko was on course to qualify for the 2025 FIDE World Cup final and the Candidates but first missed a win and then blundered a whole rook against GM Wei Yi to lose 1.5-0.5. The Chinese star will face GM Javokhir Sindarov in the final after the 19-year-old first ground out a win with Black and then withstood a great fight by GM Nodirbek Yakubboev in the second game. Yakubboev will still play Esipenko for the final spot in the Candidates in the third-place match.
The final and third-place match start on Monday, November 24, from 4:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 CET / 3 p.m. IST.
This is a flash report—come back later for full coverage of all the day’s action!
2025 FIDE World Cup Bracket
Both semifinal matches were over in two tiebreak games as Sindarov and Wei Yi reached the Final. $120,000 is up for grabs for the winner, but arguably the third-place match will be more anticipated, as Yakubboev and Esipenko battle it out for the final Candidates spot.
Our Game of the Day was the last clash between Wei and Esipenko, which saw the Chinese star pressing for most of the game, then Esipenko taking over, before the incredible final drama. First Esipenko missed a win and Wei played the saving move with one second on his clock. Then Esipenko missed that his rook was under attack and left it en prise, so that Wei qualified for the both the final and the Candidates.
A stunning moment as Esipenko, who had been winning, blunders his rook and Wei Yi is in the World Cup final and the Candidates! 🤯 https://t.co/ovXCIh7W3U pic.twitter.com/4Zxlqf6GEN
— chess24 (@chess24com) November 23, 2025
GM Dejan Bojkov will analyze the game below.
You can watch the event on Chess.com/TV. You can also enjoy the show on Chess24, on Twitch, or YouTube. Games from the event can be viewed on our events page.
The 2025 FIDE World Cup, which takes place from November 1 to 26 in Goa, India, determines three spots in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. It is a 206-player single-elimination knockout tournament with eight rounds. Each match consists of two classical games followed by rapid and blitz tiebreaks if needed. The prize fund is $2 million.
Previous reports:
- Semifinals Game 2: Two Candidates Spots To Be Decided In World Cup Tiebreaks
- Semifinals Game 1: Wei Yi Escapes In Style Vs. Esipenko As World Cup Semifinals Begin
- Quarterfinals Tiebreaks: Wei Yi Knocks Out Arjun, Advances With Sindarov, Esipenko
- Quarterfinals Game 2: Yakubboev Advances, Wei Yi Survives Vs. Arjun
- Quarterfinals Game 1: Yakubboev Draws 1st Blood, Crosses 2700 Live Rating
- Round 5 Tiebreaks: Shankland, Esipenko, Martinez, Donchenko Reach World Cup Quarterfinals
- Round 5 Game 2: Arjun Beats Aronian To Reach World Cup Quarterfinals
- Round 5 Game 1: 19-Year-Old Sindarov Grabs Only Win
- Round 4 Tiebreaks: Arjun Strides On As Pragg, Keymer, MVL, Rapport Lead World Cup Exodus
- Round 4 Game 2: Donchenko, Martinez Continue Giant-Killing As 11 Matches Go To Tiebreaks
- Round 4 Game 1: Aronian, Martinez Strike As Praggnanandhaa Escapes Vs. Dubov
- Round 3 Tiebreaks: Vachier-Lagrave Wins Marathon Match In Armageddon
- Round 3 Game 2: World Champion Gukesh Eliminated By Frederik Svane; Giri, Abdusattorov Also Out
- Round 3 Game 1: Martinez Upsets Abdusattorov With Black Pieces
- Round 2 Tiebreaks: Lodici Knocks Out Niemann, Rasmus Svane Wins In Armageddon
- Round 2 Game 2: Harikrishna Sacs Queen; Nepomniachtchi, Wesley So, Aravindh Eliminated
- Round 2 Game 1: Arjun, Keymer, Wei, Mamedyarov, Vachier-Lagrave Among Early Leaders
- Round 1 Tiebreaks: 12-Year-Old Oro Among 20 Winners In Tiebreaks
- Round 1 Game 2: IM Shixu Wang Pulls Upset, 20 Matches Go To Tiebreaks
- Round 1 Game 1: Saleh Plays Attack Of The Day, Favorites Prevail In Game 1
- 2025 FIDE World Cup Pairings, Venue Revealed
- Divya Among 6 Players Awarded World Cup Wildcard Spots; Firouzja Not In
