Erling Haaland thinks several moves ahead on the pitch. Apparently, he does the same off it.
The Manchester City striker has become a strategic investor in the Total Chess World Championship Tour, co-founding a company called Chess Mates alongside Norwegian businessman Morten Borge. Chess Mates will be a "significant owner" of Norway Chess, the organisation behind the new tour, which is set to launch next year with a minimum annual prize pool of $2.7 million.
More than a celebrity endorsement
This isn't Haaland slapping his name on a product for a cheque. He's helped establish the company structure, and Norway Chess CEO Kjell Madland says the 25-year-old has "already contributed with several great ideas." That's a specific claim from someone who'd have every reason to say something vague and flattering.
Haaland's pitch for why chess makes sense to him is actually worth taking seriously. "You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead," he said. For a striker who reads defensive lines as well as anyone in Europe right now, the parallel isn't as forced as it sounds.
The new tour will be held across four cities and blend fast classic, rapid, and blitz formats to crown a single combined world champion. It's designed to pull in new audiences — which is exactly where Haaland's commercial pull becomes an asset. His YouTube channel already has 1.4 million subscribers after just over a year. The man knows how to build an audience.
A portfolio taking shape
Between the YouTube channel and now a serious stake in a global chess venture, Haaland is building something that doesn't depend on how long his knees hold up. Smart planning for someone still very much in the middle of his playing career.
For City fans focused on the title race, none of this changes what happens at the Etihad. But it's a reminder that Haaland is operating on multiple boards at once — and so far, he seems to know what he's doing on all of them.
