BWF World Championships 2026 Begin in Delhi After 17-Year Gap

By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
Aug 17, 2026
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The BWF World Championships 2026 begin in New Delhi on Monday, August 17, bringing
Badminton's biggest individual global tournament back to India after a 17-year wait. The 30th edition of the prestigious championship will be staged at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from August 17 to 23.

The home challenge will be led by former world champion PV Sindhu, men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, and leading men’s singles player Lakshya Sen. Sindhu is seeded ninth in women’s singles, while Satwik and Chirag enter the men’s doubles draw as the fifth seeds.

PV Sindhu Targets Sixth World Championships Medal

PV Sindhu will be one of the biggest attractions at the Badminton World Championships 2026. The Indian star already has five World Championships medals, including the historic gold she won in 2019.

Her recent success at the Japan Open has added confidence ahead of the home tournament. Sindhu will begin her campaign against Ireland’s Sophia Nobel and will hope to use the home support to mount another challenge for the podium.

A sixth World Championships medal would further strengthen Sindhu’s remarkable record at the event.

Satwik-Chirag Eye Maiden World Championships Gold

India’s top men’s doubles combination, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, will also be among the major medal contenders.

The fifth-seeded pair have already secured bronze medals at the 2022 and 2025 World Championships. Their target in New Delhi is to go beyond bronze and claim their first World Championships gold medal.

The Asian Games champions also arrive after winning the Singapore Open Super 750 title in May, giving them additional momentum before their home campaign.

Lakshya Sen Leads India’s Men’s Singles Challenge

Lakshya Sen, seeded 14th, will spearhead India’s men’s singles campaign. The 2021 World Championships bronze medallist will be looking to produce another deep run in front of the home crowd.

Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty is also attracting attention as he makes his World Championships debut. His opening assignment, however, is particularly difficult, with defending champion Shi Yuqi of China standing in his way.

India’s 2026 World Championships Squad

India has representation across all five disciplines at the New Delhi World Championships. The Indian contingent includes:

Men’s Singles: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty

Women’s Singles: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda

Men’s Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy–Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan–MR Arjun

Women’s Doubles: Treesa Jolly–Gayatri Gopichand, Kavipriya Selvam–Simran Singhi

Mixed Doubles: Dhruv Kapila–Tanisha Crasto, Rohan Kapoor–Ruthvika Gadde, Ashith Surya–Amrutha Pramuthesh.

Notably, Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Simran Singhi and Kavipriya Selvam are among the Indian players making their World Championships debut.

Five Badminton Disciplines to Decide World Champions

The championship features five events:

Men’s singles
Women’s singles
Men’s doubles
Women’s doubles
Mixed doubles

The tournament runs through August 23, with the knockout stages building toward the finals on the final day.

India’s Strong World Championships Record

India has won 15 medals at the BWF World Championships, including one gold, four silver and 10 bronze medals.

Prakash Padukone became the first Indian to win a World Championships medal in 1983. PV Sindhu subsequently created history by becoming the first Indian world champion in badminton when she captured the women’s singles title in 2019.

India has also maintained a medal streak at the championships since 2011, making the New Delhi edition another important opportunity to extend that run.

World Championships Return to India After 17 Years

The 2026 edition marks only the second time India has hosted the BWF World Championships.

Hyderabad previously staged the tournament in 2009, with the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium hosting the matches. China’s Lin Dan won the men’s singles title that year, completing a third consecutive World Championships triumph.

Seventeen years later, the global badminton spotlight has returned to India, with New Delhi preparing to host the sport’s elite from August 17 to 23.

BWF World Championships 2026: Key Details

Tournament: BWF World Championships 2026
Edition: 30th
Dates: August 17–23, 2026
Venue: Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi
Host country: India
Indian medal hopes: PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty, Lakshya Sen
Previous edition: Paris, 2025