Magnus Carlsen to Make Bundesliga Debut with FC St. Pauli in January

The former world chess champion joins FC St. Pauli for select matches, starting with rounds 5 and 6 against SG Solingen and Düsseldorfer SK.

Magnus Carlsen, the former world chess champion and current world number one, will debut for FC St. Pauli in the Chess Bundesliga on January 11 and 12, 2025.
Carlsen's first opponents will be SG Solingen and Düsseldorfer SK, whose rosters include notable players like Jan Nepomniachtchi and Dommaraju Gukesh.
This marks Carlsen's return to the Chess Bundesliga after a 16-year hiatus, having last competed in the league in 2008.
The Chess Bundesliga, considered the strongest league in the world, features nearly all of the top-ranked players globally, including 17 of the top 20.
Future appearances by Carlsen for FC St. Pauli are planned, including a major event in March 2025 at the Millerntor-Stadion.