'I now know I was wrong': Hikaru on chaotic EWC match against Firouzja
Hikaru Nakamura finished third at the 2026 Esports World Cup after Alireza Firouzja forfeited their match following technical issues and multiple disconnections. Initially blaming chess.com, Nakamura later learned the problems were caused by the EWC. He apologised for his comments, admitted he jumped to conclusions, and earned $145,000 plus valuable Club Championship points for Falcons Esports.
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has clarified the events surrounding his chaotic third-place match against Alireza Firouzja at the Esports World Cup 2026, following a series of technical issues that ultimately led to the contest's abrupt conclusion. Nakamura was in contention for the third position alongside Firouzja, their teammates from the Falcons Esports squad, when numerous players encountered disconnections during the match.Another game was impacted by these technical problems, prompting Firouzja to leave the match early.
The multiple disconnections created chaos and controversy, leaving Nakamura confused and uncertain about the cause of the problem. For 20 minutes, he waited for officials to inform him that the match would be recorded as a forfeit in his favor, unaware of the underlying issue.Nakamura, unacquainted with his phone or external information during this period, initially assumed the problem was with chess.com based on the disconnection he witnessed on his screen.
Upon confirmation of the forfeit, he participated in interviews but, lacking the complete context, publicly blamed chess.com for the issue. Nakamura later retracted his comments, admitting he had made a mistake.Nakamura expressed regret for prematurely blaming chess.com, stating that the actual cause of the technical difficulties was an issue with the EWC, affecting multiple events.
He apologized to chess.com and sought to have his retraction published wherever his initial remarks had appeared. Nakamura dismissed concerns of coercion into changing his story, asserting that he was not pressured and had not been "held over a stove" by anyone. Despite the tumultuous conclusion, Nakamura officially secured third place at the Esports World Cup, defeating Firouzja after leading 3-1 with two games remaining, earning him $145,000 and Club Championship points for Falcons Esports.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
