Fabiano Caruana is a three-time U.S. Champion and the current World No. 2. He is a former World Championship challenger (2018) and qualified for the 2024 Candidates after a 3rd place finish in the 2023 FIDE World Cup. Caruana is also the winner of numerous super-tournaments, including the 2023 Sinquefield Cup and Superbet Chess Classic, which allowed him to win the overall 2023 Grand Chess Tour. With a peak FIDE rating of 2844, Caruana holds the third highest rating of all time.

Hikaru Nakamura is a five-time U.S. Champion and current World No. 3. He qualified for the 2024 Candidates after finishing clear second in the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss with 8/11. In 2023 Nakamura also won the American Cup and Norway Chess super-tournament. After previously tying for third place in the 2022 FIDE Candidates, Nakamura narrowly missed out on participating in the 2023 World Championship match. With a peak FIDE rating of 2816, Nakamura holds the tenth highest rating in history.

Ian Nepomniachtchi is a two-time World Championship challenger and current World No. 7. He is also a two-time Russian champion as well as a former World Youth and European Champion. Nepomniachtchi is one of the only players to win back-to-back FIDE Candidates, winning the two previous editions in order to qualify for the World Championship matches in 2022 and 2023. With a peak FIDE rating of 2795 (March 2023), Nepo is the #16 highest rated player of all-time.

Alireza Firouzja is an Iranian-French grandmaster and current World No. 6. After earning the GM title at age 14, Firouzja went on to become the youngest ever player to reach 2800, breaking Magnus Carlsen’s record at the age of 18 years and 5 months. Previously Firouzja scored 6.0/14 to finish in 6th place in the 2022 Candidates, his first time participating in the event. His recent tournament successes include winning the 2021 FIDE Grand Swiss, the 2022 Sinquefield Cup, and the overall 2022 Grand Chess Tour.

Vidit Gujrathi is an Indian grandmaster and current World No. 15. He qualified to the 2024 Candidates after taking clear first place with 8.5/11 in the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss. Vidit is the 30th grandmaster from India, and was the fourth ever Indian player to cross 2700. His biggest achievements include winning the 2023 Gashimov Memorial, 2019 Biel Chess Festival, and 2018 Tata Steel Challengers. This will be Vidit’s first ever candidates tournament.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is an Indian chess grandmaster and World No. 2 ranked junior. He qualified to the candidates after a second place finish in the 2023 FIDE World Cup. A long-time prodigy, “Pragg” is a multiple time World Youth Champion, and is the fifth youngest ever player to become a grandmaster, which he did at the age of 12 years and ten months. Considered along with Gukesh to be one of India’s top talents, this will be Praggnannandhaa’s first ever candidates tournament.

Mikhail Antipov is a Russian grandmaster and former World Junior Champion (2015) originally from Moscow, Russia. He earned the GM title in 2013 at the age of 16, making him the youngest Russian grandmaster at the time. Antipov’s other accomplishments include winning the 2019 Netanya International Chess Festival, the 2020 Moscow City Championship, and the 2023 U.S. Masters. Antipov currently attends and plays for the University of Missouri, which recently won the 2024 Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship for the first time.

Nijat Abasov is an Azerbaijani grandmaster originally from Baku. He qualified to the 2024 Candidates after a stellar run in the 2023 FIDE World Cup in which he ultimately finished fourth, earning a spot after World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen declined his invitation. With a peak FIDE rating of 2679, Abasov has placed as high as #53 in the world rankings. Along with Gukesh, Pragg, and Vidit, this will be Abasov’s first candidates tournament.