Bengaluru, July 09, 2026: The Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative by Tech Mahindra and FIDE, has partnered with Roastery Coffee House ahead of Season 4, with the specialty coffee brand joining the league to drive fan engagement through a series of community-led chess initiatives and on-ground experiences. The collaboration will see Roastery host its 'Road to GCL' café tournaments while bringing exclusive fan activations to the league in Bengaluru from September 3 to 13.
As part of the partnership, Roastery will transform its cafés into spaces where chess enthusiasts can play, compete and live the game, extending the Global Chess League experience beyond the tournament venue. Winners of the Road to GCL café events will receive exclusive access to the league, while Roastery will also curate dedicated coffee experiences for players, partners and fans throughout Season 4.
The partnership reflects GCL's continued focus on growing chess beyond the board by creating new touch points for fans to engage with the sport. Since its inception, the league has redefined elite chess through its franchise model, mixed-team format and rapid time control, bringing together the world's leading men, women and prodigies in a single competition while introducing the game to wider audiences through fan-first innovations.
Speaking on the partnership, Gourav Rakshit, Commissioner, Global Chess League, said: "We're excited to welcome Roastery to the Global Chess League ecosystem. Their enthusiasm was evident from the outset, with a desire to be part of the journey even before the player draft. Beyond the partnership, their Road to GCL café activations represent a fresh way of bringing chess into everyday spaces and creating meaningful engagement with the sport."
Founded in Hyderabad, Roastery Coffee House has emerged as one of India's leading specialty coffee brands, with a growing network of Roastery Coffee Houses, Colocal Chocolates, and PS Cheese outlets across the country, alongside an expanding international presence, including Finland. Built around community experiences and artisanal craftsmanship, the brand's philosophy aligns naturally with GCL's vision of taking chess beyond the competition arena and into everyday cultural spaces.
Nishant Sinha, Founder, Roastery Coffee House, said: "For us, the association with the Global Chess League felt very natural. Chess and coffee go hand in hand—they both require determination, strategy and patience. Through our Road to GCL initiative, we're inviting people to play at our cafés, and we look forward to doing whatever we can to make the game even bigger. Chess is already a spectacular game, and we're happy to contribute to its growth in whatever way we can."
The partnership comes as GCL heads to Bengaluru this September, a city renowned for both its vibrant coffee culture and growing stature as a global hub for innovation and technology. Played over 11 days, Season 4 will feature six franchises competing in GCL's globally unique format, where each team fields one Icon, two Superstar Men, two Superstar Women, and one Prodigy. Built around rapid chess, the mixed-team league gives equal value to every board, creating high-intensity contests where momentum can shift until the very final move.
