Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ranked R Praggnanandhaa in B tier for the Candidates, calling it a “hot take” based on recent form.

Despite concerns over Koneru Humpy potentially withdrawing from the Cyprus Candidates tournament due to regional tensions, India's rising chess stars Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, and R Praggnanandhaa are confirmed to participate. Their teams are actively planning travel and preparations, signaling their commitment to the prestigious event as the gateway to the World Championship.