REG - World Chess PLC - The World Chess Show Expands to BILD

World ChessAnnouncement

23/01/2026 07:00

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RNS Number : 0332Q  World Chess PLC  23 January 2026

 

23 January 2026

 

World Chess Plc

("World Chess" or the "Company")

 

The World Chess Show Expands to BILD

 

Key Highlights

 

World Chess plc (LSE: CHSS), a leading chess organisation that develops and
operates worldchess.com, the official online gaming platform of the
International Chess Federation (FIDE), today announces a significant
partnership with BILD, Germany's largest media brand.

 

●    The World Chess Show, one of the most widely televised chess
properties in the world, will now air across BILD's premium sports media
offers.

●    With this addition, The World Chess Show now broadcasts across more
than 156 markets globally, reinforcing its position as a leading chess
television format.

●    Content will be featured on BILD's digital platforms BILD.de &
SPORTBILD.de within their 24/7 FAST-Channels (e.g. Best of BILD & SPORT
BILD) reaching millions of German-speaking viewers.

●    BILD reaches over 25 million unique users monthly, providing
unprecedented exposure for chess content in Europe's largest economy.

 

Details of the Partnership

Under the media agreement, The World Chess Show will be broadcast across
BILD's comprehensive sports media ecosystem, including:

 

●    Digital Platforms - BILD.de and SPORT BILD, Germany's most visited
news and sports websites

●    Best of BILD FAST-Channel - Premium content showcase

●    SPORT BILD FAST-Channel - non-stop sport highlights

 

About The World Chess Show

 

The World Chess Show is a magazine-style television programme designed to
bring chess to mainstream audiences. Unlike traditional tournament coverage,
the show is crafted for viewers who enjoy chess but do not follow competitive
events closely - offering an accessible entry point into the world of
professional chess through compelling storytelling, player profiles, and
behind-the-scenes content.

The format firmly positions chess as a global sport, highlighting the drama,
strategy and personalities that make it one of the world's most played games.
By reaching audiences through mainstream sports channels, The World Chess Show
is helping to redefine how chess is perceived and consumed by the general
public.

 

 

Strategic Importance

 

The World Chess Show now airs across more than 156 markets internationally,
establishing it as one of the most significant television properties in the
chess world. This global distribution is central to World Chess's integrated
media strategy: television exposure drives brand awareness and positions
worldchess.com as the destination for viewers inspired to play. Each new
market expands the potential user base for the Company's flagship digital
platform.

 

BILD is Germany's most widely read and viewed news brand and one of Europe's
most important media outlets. Germany represents a strategic market for World
Chess, combining a strong chess tradition with Europe's largest population and
economy.

 

Ilya Merenzon, Chief Executive Officer of World Chess, commented: "We built
The World Chess Show to answer a simple question: why isn't chess on
television the way football or tennis is? Chess has more than 600 million
players worldwide - more than many other sports - yet it has been largely
absent from mainstream sports broadcasting. We are changing that.

 

With BILD, we now reach over 156 markets globally. This is not just
distribution for distribution's sake. Every viewer who discovers chess through
The World Chess Show is a potential player on worldchess.com and a new member
of the chess community. We are building something unprecedented: a media
flywheel that grows our audience and our platform simultaneously.

 

Broadcasters are recognising that chess belongs in their sports programming,
and we are the company making that happen. Germany, with BILD's extraordinary
reach, is exactly the kind of market that accelerates everything we are
building."

 

For more information, please visit https://company.worldchess.com/investors or
contact:

 

World Chess Plc

 

Ilya Merenzon, CEO

merenzon@worldchess.com

 

AlbR Capital Limited

Financial Adviser: David Coffman / Dan Harris

+44 (0) 20 7469 0930

 

Notes to Editors

World Chess (LSE: CHSS) is a London-based chess gaming and entertainment
company and Fédération Internationale des Échecs ("FIDE") official
commercial partner. World Chess organised the FIDE Championship Matches in the
USA and the UK and revolutionised the sport by signing the biggest media
partnerships in chess history. World Chess develops Armageddon, the chess
league for prime-time television, and operates worldchess.com, the official
FIDE-rated gaming platform. The World Chess Show is a magazine-style chess
programme airing across more than 50 international markets. More at
worldchess.com.

 

BILD is Germany's largest-circulation newspaper and leading digital news
platform. With over 25 million monthly unique visitors across its digital
properties, BILD is one of Europe's most influential media brands.

 

 

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