The BWF World Championships is set to return to India after 17 years. In 2026, the badminton tournament will be held in the capital city of New Delhi in August.
India last hosted the BWF’s most prestigious tournament in 2009 in Hyderabad.
The 2026 edition in New Delhi will also mark the tournament’s return to Asia after an eight-year gap, with Nanjing, China, having hosted it last in 2018.
The development was confirmed by the sport’s global governing body, BWF, on Monday during the closing ceremony of the BWF World Championships in Paris.
A handover took place between BWF president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, Frank Laurent, chief of the Federation Francaise de Badminton, and general secretary of the Badminton Association of India Sanjay Mishra.
Mishra promised that India would have a grand show in New Delhi for the event. “On behalf of the Badminton Association of India, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the BWF for entrusting us with the honour of hosting the World Championships in Delhi in August 2026. We assure that India will give nothing less than 100% to uphold and carry forward the same standards of excellence and grandeur that Paris has showcased. We look forward to welcoming the badminton family to Delhi,” Mishra said in a statement.
Read More
“For India, hosting the Championships again highlights its standing as both a powerhouse on court and a major destination on the global badminton map,” the BAI added.
Also Read: BWF World Championships 2025: 5 Countries Win Titles, List Of Champions
The BWF World Championships is the most prestigious badminton competition, offering the most ranking points, along with the Summer Olympics badminton events introduced in 1992. The winners of the tournament are World Champions of the sport and are awarded a gold medal.
Read More
The BWF World Championships tournament started in 1977 and was held once every three years until 1983. However, since 1985, the tournament became biennial and played once every two years until 2029. The tournament is not held during the Summer Olympics years to avoid schedule conflicts.
