Badminton World Championships 2026: India's Great Return

The Badminton World Championships 2026 will officially return to India, bringing elite global badminton back to New Delhi after a historic 17-year hiatus. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) handed over hosting rights during the closing ceremony of the Paris edition. General Secretary Sanjay Mishra of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) accepted the mantle, setting the stage for an unforgettable tournament on home soil.

This landmark tournament marks a major milestone for Asian sports. After a multi-year gap since Nanjing hosted the event in 2018, the sport's flagship tournament returns to its spiritual heartland. With India's rapid rise as a global badminton powerhouse, the 2026 edition promises unprecedented fan engagement.

When India last hosted the tournament in Hyderabad in 2009, the host nation failed to secure a single podium finish. Today, India is recognized as one of the most dominant forces in international badminton. Since the legendary Prakash Padukone's breakthrough bronze in 1983, Indian shuttlers have secured 15 medals at the prestigious event.

This modern era of dominance is defined by consistent, world-class performances across all categories. The legendary PV Sindhu leads the nation's historical tally with five individual medals, including a historic gold in 2019.

| Player / Duo | Medal Tally | Category | Key Milestone | | :---------------------------------------------- | :------------------------- | :-------------- | :--------------------------------- | | PV Sindhu | 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze | Women's Singles | Most decorated Indian shuttler | | Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty | 2 Bronze | Men's Doubles | First Indian doubles medalists | | Jwala Gutta & Ashwini Ponnappa | 1 Bronze | Women's Doubles | Historic 2011 doubles breakthrough | | Kidambi Srikanth | 1 Silver | Men's Singles | Historic silver in 2021 |

All eyes will be on PV Sindhu as she looks to leverage home-court advantage to capture another world title. Her unparalleled big-stage temperament makes her India's premier threat in women's singles.

In the men's doubles category, powerhouses Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are primed to challenge for gold. After clinching historic bronzes in 2022 and 2025, the dynamic duo will have the backing of a passionate home crowd in New Delhi.

The men's singles division features formidable depth. Young prodigy Lakshya Sen (bronze, 2021) and veteran fighter H.S. Prannoy (bronze, 2023) are proven medal-winners capable of beating anyone on their day. Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth also brings valuable championship experience to the squad.

PV Sindhu is the most successful Indian badminton player in tournament history, having captured 5 medals: one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes.

China is the most successful country in tournament history, accumulating over 70 gold medals. They achieved historic clean sweeps of all five titles in 1987, 2010, and 2011.

Before the scheduled Badminton World Championships 2026 in New Delhi, India last hosted the prestigious tournament in Hyderabad in 2009.