3 months ago
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The Badminton World Federation (BWF) connected Monday (February 9, 2026) announced a large restructuring of the planetary calendar from 2027, unveiling an expanded World Tour, higher prize wealth and caller contention formats aimed astatine accelerating the sport’s planetary growth.
This follows the hold of BWF’s semipermanent woody done to 2034 with broadcast and commercialized spouse Infront announced past year.
Under the caller framework, the fig of TV-produced badminton matches volition treble from 1,410 to astir 3,000 crossed each BWF tournaments.
Central to the reforms is simply a revamped BWF World Tour featuring 36 tournaments organised wrong a six-tier structure: the World Tour Finals, 5 Super 1000 events, 5 Super 750, 9 Super 500, 8 Super 300 and 8 Super 100 tournaments, with Super 100 events integrated into the main circuit for the archetypal time.
Five Super 1000 tournaments, to beryllium staged crossed Asia and Europe, with 48 players competing successful radical and past elimination rounds successful Singles events, portion doubles events volition diagnostic 32-pair knockout draws. Each Super 1000 tourney volition tally for 11 days crossed 2 weekends, with each 1,095 matches broadcast globally.
The sport's governing said the full yearly prize excavation connected the World Tour volition emergence to astir $26.9 million. Prize wealth increases crossed categories see $2 cardinal for Super 1000 tournaments, $1.1 cardinal for Super 750, $560,000 for Super 500, $2,90,000 for Super 300 and $140,000 for Super 100.
From 2027, the World Championships volition present a group-stage signifier followed by knockouts, ensuring each subordinate competes successful astatine slightest 2 matches. The Sudirman Cup Finals and Thomas & Uber Cup Finals volition grow to see much teams, expanding planetary representation.
Hosts for the revamped World Tour from 2027 to 2030 person been confirmed, portion the venue for the World Tour Finals volition beryllium announced later.
"We are gathering a athletics that speaks to the adjacent generation. Every element, from contention formats with accrued prize money, to broadcast strategy and sponsorship worth chains, has been reimagined to conscionable the demands of a genuinely planetary athletics successful the 21st century," BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said successful a release.
BWF caput General Thomas Lund said the changes spot players astatine the centre of the ecosystem.
“Our absorption is connected gathering a future-ready model that drives sustainable maturation and amplifies badminton’s planetary reach. Together BWF and Infront are serving much drama, much opportunities for players, and a richer acquisition for fans and broadcasters alike.
"This determination reinforces badminton’s presumption arsenic a globally competitory and commercially charismatic sport, portion underscoring our committedness to enactment players astatine the bosom of the game, ensuring just rewards and sustaining their semipermanent information astatine the highest level.”
