The Esports World Cup 2026 Playoffs tip off in Paris today with eight of chess's fastest guns competing in rapid knockout action. Carlsen and Nakamura anchor the bracket alongside rising stars Abdusattorov, Arjun, Firouzja, Niemann, Nihal, and Lazavik. Ten-minute games mean no room for recovery. One slip ends your tournament. The quarterfinal matchups start at 11:00 UTC.