Divya Deshmukh Creates History in FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025

India’s Divya Deshmukh has created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the prestigious FIDE Women’s World Cup. At just 19 years old, Divya defeated fellow Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a tense final that went into the tiebreaker rounds.

The final clash between the two top Indian players saw both classical games ending in a draw. But on Monday, during the rapid tie breaks, Divya showed nerves of steel and clinched the win with a 2.5-1.5 scoreline. With this, she not only lifted the trophy but also earned the title of India’s 88th Grandmaster. This is the big sports news for Indian chess. 

During the match, Humpy admitted she lost track after the 12th move. With the 54th move, Divya made a very crucial move, due to which Humpy had to resign. With this win, Divya got the prize money of ?42 lakh.

Road to the Title

Divya’s path to the final wasn’t easy at all. In the semifinal, she beat China’s Tan Zhongyi, who’s a former world champion. The first game was long — it took 101 moves, but Divya won it with white pieces. She played draw in the second game and made her way to the final.

Throughout the tournament, she looked calm and under control. She did not make big mistakes and handled the pressure situation brilliantly. All these tactics worked out for her in tournament games, especially in the tough ones. 

Now, Divya has qualified for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament. Overall, the tournament was great for Indian women’s chess — four players (Divya, Humpy, Vaishali and Harika) made it to the quarterfinals. That’s never happened before. For more sports updates, stories, and highlights, follow Khelostar News.