CheQ has signed a multi-year title sponsorship agreement with Mumba Masters, the Mumbai-based franchise of the Global Chess League (GCL), owned by Unilazer Ventures Pvt. Ltd. Under the partnership, the team will be known as CheQ Mumba Masters starting Season 4, marking a significant commercial partnership for the franchise.
The fourth season of the Global Chess League is set to take place from September 5 to 13 in Bengaluru, bringing together six franchises and 36 players in the league’s mixed-team format. The season will feature several of the sport’s biggest names, including Magnus Carlsen, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Viswanathan Anand and Harika Dronavalli, who represents Mumba Masters.
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Bengaluru, CheQ operates a digital credit management platform that enables users to manage credit card repayments, access rewards and credit insights, and use AI-enabled financial products through a single interface. The company has also recently expanded into everyday digital payments with the launch of CheQ UPI, which rewards UPI transactions made through RuPay-linked credit cards.
The three-season partnership will see CheQ and Mumba Masters collaborate on initiatives aimed at increasing fan engagement and expanding the reach of chess in India. The association will include digital-first campaigns, grassroots initiatives, player interactions, rewards and other fan-focused activations.
Commenting on the partnership, Suhail Chandhok, CEO, CheQ Mumba Masters, said the collaboration reflects the shared values of strategy, focus and long-term thinking associated with both chess and the franchise. He added that the partnership will go beyond branding to engage existing fans, bring new audiences to the sport and contribute to the growth of chess in India.
Aditya Soni, Founder and CEO, CheQ, said the company was excited to partner with Mumba Masters at a time when chess is witnessing growing interest and momentum in India. He highlighted the team’s strong roster and said CheQ looked forward to engaging with the country’s expanding community of chess fans.
The partnership comes as India continues to emerge as one of the world’s largest markets for chess. According to data from World Chess, an official FIDE partner, India accounts for 33% of paid subscribers and 25% of free-to-play users on the platform, ranking ahead of the US in overall engagement.
Through the partnership, CheQ and CheQ Mumba Masters aim to tap into this young, digitally engaged and affluent audience while creating new avenues for fans to interact with the sport and the franchise across the upcoming GCL seasons.
