New Delhi will host the prestigious Badminton World Championships in August 2026, almost two decades after India last hosted the event.
India has maintained an unbroken medal streak since 2011, led by stars like PV Sindhu and recent bronze winners Satwik-Chirag.
Hosting the event again underlines India’s growing stature in world badminton, both as a competitive powerhouse and a destination for major tournaments.
New Delhi To Host 2026 Badminton World C'ships As India Continues To Shine On Global Stage
Seventeen years after the last edition in Hyderabad, India will welcome the world’s best badminton players to New Delhi for the 2026 World Championships. With a rich medal legacy and rising stars, India promises to deliver a grand sporting spectacle.
Summary
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) officially announced New Delhi as the host city for the 2026 Badminton World Championships during the closing ceremony of the 2025 tournament in Paris. This marks the tournament’s return to India after 17 years, following Hyderabad’s hosting of the event in 2009.
The prestigious handover ceremony took place at the Adidas Arena in Paris, featuring BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, Frank Laurent, President of the Federation Francaise de Badminton, and Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI).
"India will give 100 percent"
Mishra pledged India’s commitment to live up to the tournament’s high standards in excellence and grandeur. “We assure that India will give nothing less than 100 per cent 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.
The 2026 edition will also mark the return of the Championships to Asia for the first time since 2018, when Nanjing, China hosted the event. Hosting the tournament again underlines India’s position as a powerhouse both on the court and as a destination for major international badminton events.
India as a badmintion nation on the rise
India’s journey in badminton World Championships is one of consistent growth and landmark achievements. The breakthrough came with Prakash Padukone’s bronze in Copenhagen. Since 2011, India has never missed the podium, buoyed by standouts like PV Sindhu, who boasts five medals including a historic gold in Basel 2019, Saina Nehwal’s trailblazing finals appearances and medals, and numerous men’s singles players like Kidambi Srikanth, B Sai Praneeth, Lakshya Sen, and HS Prannoy.
The recent 2025 championships in Paris continued this trend, with men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty clinching their second bronze medal at the World level. Their performances, along with the consistent winning culture of Indian badminton, set the stage for an exciting 2026 at home.
With New Delhi poised to host badminton’s global festival, fans and players alike await a tournament that promises to build on India’s legacy and push the sport to new heights.
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With PTI inputs.
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