India, Aug. 26 -- Magnus Carlsen and D Gukesh are expected to headline the field in the men's FIDE World Cup which will be held in Goa from October 30 to November 27, world chess body FIDE announced on Tuesday.

A large field of 206 players will feature in the knockout tournament with a $2 million prize money from which the top three will qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, the winner of which will take on Gukesh, India's reigning FIDE world champion.

Gukesh is in as the world champion while five-time world champion Carlsen, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruano and Azerbaijan's Nijat Abasov are seeded from the 2023 World Cup. China's women's FIDE world champion, Ju Wenjun and the 2024 world junior champion, Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazak...