World Chess PLC Expands Broadcast Reach with BILD Partnership to Over 156 Markets

World Chess PLC partners with Germany's BILD to broadcast its show to 25M+ users, expanding to 156+ markets to drive growth for its official FIDE platform, worldchess.com.

23 January 2026by Joshua Thompson5 min read11 views

This article covers information on World Chess PLC.

LON:CHSS

World Chess PLC taps BILD to supercharge reach in Germany and beyond

World Chess PLC (LSE: CHSS) has signed a media partnership with BILD, Germany’s largest media brand, to broadcast The World Chess Show across BILD’s premium sports media channels. It’s a clear push into Europe’s biggest economy and a step-up in distribution: the show now airs in more than 156 markets globally, according to the RNS.

For retail investors, this is a brand and audience story first and foremost. World Chess wants TV exposure to funnel new players to worldchess.com, its official FIDE-rated platform. The company calls this its “media flywheel” – watch the show, try the platform, grow the community.

What’s in the deal with BILD

The World Chess Show will be available across BILD’s digital platforms and always-on streaming channels, specifically:

BILD.de and SPORTBILD.de – Germany’s most-visited news and sports sites
“Best of BILD” FAST channel – a premium content showcase
“SPORT BILD” FAST channel – continuous sports highlights

FAST channels (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) are 24/7 linear streaming feeds that sit inside digital platforms and connected TVs. They’re a quick way to tap a big audience without paywalls, which matters when you’re trying to broaden chess beyond hardcore followers.

Why BILD matters for CHSS shareholders

BILD reaches over 25 million unique users monthly. That’s huge top-of-funnel exposure in a market that World Chess itself calls strategically important: Germany combines a strong chess tradition with the largest economy and population in Europe. It’s precisely the kind of territory where a mainstream sports placement can lift brand awareness.

Importantly, the company repeats the thesis behind this format: The World Chess Show is a magazine-style programme aimed at viewers who like chess but don’t follow tournaments. Think storytelling, personalities, and behind-the-scenes content that leans more Netflix than niche. If it works, it broadens the addressable audience and nudges viewers towards worldchess.com.

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Reach, platforms and positioning – the key numbers

Ticker	LSE: CHSS
New media partner	BILD (Germany’s largest media brand)
Monthly audience (BILD)	Over 25 million unique users
Global broadcast footprint	More than 156 markets
Distribution channels	BILD.de, SPORTBILD.de, Best of BILD (FAST), SPORT BILD (FAST)
Core platform	worldchess.com (official FIDE-rated gaming platform)
CEO commentary	Chess has more than 600 million players globally; TV exposure feeds platform growth

Note: The main release states 156+ markets. A line in the notes references “more than 50” markets, which appears to be older background copy. The operative figure here is 156+.

How this fits the World Chess strategy

World Chess isn’t trying to win on hardcore tournament coverage. The show is designed to position chess as a mainstream global sport by telling stories and highlighting personalities. That builds a larger, less specialised audience who may be more likely to try the game online.

The link to worldchess.com is the crux. The RNS is explicit: TV distribution is intended to expand the user base of the company’s flagship platform. With BILD on board, Germany becomes a high-potential inflow of new users – and a proof point for landing more tier-one media partners.

Positives: scale, credibility, and market selection

Scale: 156+ markets gives The World Chess Show genuine global presence. That’s rare air for a niche sport’s magazine show.
Credibility: BILD’s stature in German media should help with brand legitimacy and advertiser interest around chess content.
Smart positioning: A magazine-style format can reach far beyond tournament-watchers, which is what you want if the goal is platform growth.
Strategic market: Germany is exactly the kind of testbed where mainstream sports programming can convert awareness into activity.

What’s not disclosed (and why it matters)

There are several important blanks in the RNS:

Commercial terms – not disclosed.
Duration of the agreement – not disclosed.
Revenue impact or guidance – not disclosed.
Viewership targets or historical ratings – not disclosed.
Conversion metrics from TV viewers to worldchess.com users – not disclosed.

None of that is unusual for a distribution announcement, but it means investors can’t quantify the financial upside yet. The company frames this as audience building rather than immediate monetisation; the question is how efficiently viewers are converted to active, retained users on worldchess.com.

Investment view: promising distribution, execution remains key

On balance, this reads positively. Adding BILD should increase top-of-funnel awareness in a heavyweight market, and it supports the company’s “media flywheel” strategy – TV drives curiosity, platform captures demand. The 156+ markets figure also suggests meaningful momentum behind the format.

The caveat is the usual one with audience plays: distribution is necessary but not sufficient. Without disclosed economics and conversion data, it’s hard to gauge near-term revenue impact. The next set of updates investors should look for are platform metrics (users, engagement, growth in Germany), further broadcaster wins, and any colour on monetisation around the show itself.

CEO’s message in context

Ilya Merenzon’s comments are punchy: chess is huge globally, yet underrepresented on mainstream sports TV, and World Chess intends to change that. The idea that “every viewer is a potential player on worldchess.com” is the strategy distilled. If the company can consistently turn mainstream interest into platform activity, the flywheel gets stronger with every territory added.

What to track next

Evidence of user growth on worldchess.com following the BILD rollout, particularly in German-speaking markets.
Additional media partners of BILD’s calibre in other major economies.
Any updates on advertising, sponsorship, or content licensing around The World Chess Show.
Cross-promotion between The World Chess Show and the wider World Chess portfolio noted in the RNS background (e.g. Armageddon league).

Bottom line for CHSS holders

This is a distribution-led catalyst: high-reach placement in Germany and confirmation that The World Chess Show is now in 156+ markets. It strengthens World Chess’s brand position and could expand the funnel to its official FIDE-rated platform. The opportunity is clear, the execution proof will be in the user metrics.

Financial details aren’t disclosed, so keep expectations grounded and watch for data in subsequent updates. As steps go, this one looks directionally right – big market, big partner, and on-message for a media-to-platform growth strategy.