BWF World Championships 2026 Begin in New Delhi

The 2026 BWF World Championships will commence in New Delhi on Monday, August 17, marking the tournament's return to India for the first time since 2009. The event, running until August 23 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, will feature the world's top badminton players competing for global titles.

Host nation India will look to home crowd support to fuel its campaign, with veteran star P.V. Sindhu heading the challenge. The two-time Olympic medallist enters the tournament with significant momentum after winning the Japan Open Super 750 in July, a victory that ended a 19-month title drought. Sindhu, who already holds five World Championships medals including the 2019 gold, has a chance to create history by securing a sixth, which would make her the most decorated singles player in the tournament's history. She is seeded ninth and begins her campaign against Ireland's Sophia Noble.

The Chinese team, which arrived in New Delhi for final preparations, has praised the venue conditions. World No. 3 Wang Zhi Yi noted that the stadium has been significantly improved since the India Open earlier this year. The Badminton Association of India and the Sports Authority of India invested...