The four players in the semifinals drew in both slow chess matches and advanced to the fast chess playoff.

The battles between Chinese player Wei Yi and Russian chess player Espenko, as well as two Uzbek chess players Sindalov and Yakubuyv, were all decided in the 15 minute fast chess stage.

In the first round of the match, Wei Yi used Russian defense as a black card player. After 36 rounds of fighting, the two sides entered the Car Elephant Soldier endgame and formed a repeated situation, ultimately ending in a draw.

Let's switch first and then fight again, both sides are in the starting lineup in Italy. The two sides engaged in fierce competition around the center, and entered the aftermath of the chariot and cavalry battle. Wei Yi lost two soldiers in a row, and the situation was somewhat unfavorable.

In the final stage of the game, in the 56th round, Wei Yi cleverly withdrew his horse in a tense moment with only one second left, not only catching the opponent's car, but also hiding tactics to attack the rear wing soldiers. And with only 25 seconds left, Espenko made a fatal mistake due to panic and gave away a car, ending the race instantly.

Wei Yi defeated Espenko with a record of 1 win and 1 draw, successfully advancing to the World Cup championship and runner up finals, and securing a spot in the 2026 World Championship qualifiers. He also became the second male chess player from China to reach the World Cup final after Ding Liren, and the third male chess player from China to qualify for the World Championship qualifiers after Ding Liren and Wang Hao.

In another semifinal, Uzbekistan chess player Sindalov won first and then drew, eliminating his compatriot Yakubovev with a 1-1 draw, and meeting Wei Yi to compete in the championship and runner up final.