Badminton Tournament Calendar 2026: Complete Guide to Global & Australian Events

The 2026 badminton season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. With the BWF World Championships heading to New Delhi, the Thomas & Uber Cup in Denmark, the Asian Games in Japan, and a packed BWF World Tour schedule, there is no shortage of world-class badminton to follow this year. For Australian fans, the SATHIO GROUP Australian Open returns to Sydney in June as a Super 500 event, bringing international stars to our home courts.

BWF World Championships 2026 — New Delhi, India

The 30th edition of the BWF World Championships will be held from August 17 to 23 at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, India. This is badminton's most prestigious individual event, where winners earn the coveted title of World Champion. India last hosted the World Championships in 2009, making this a significant return. With the LA 2028 Olympics qualification race heating up, performances in New Delhi will carry enormous weight for players across all five disciplines.

Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 — Horsens, Denmark

The biennial Thomas Cup (men's team) and Uber Cup (women's team) finals will take place from April 24 to May 3 at Forum Horsens in Denmark. Sixteen nations per side will compete for team glory across the five badminton disciplines. Regional qualifiers have already taken place, including the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao (February 3-8), where Japan won the men's title and South Korea claimed the women's.

BWF World Tour 2026

The HSBC BWF World Tour forms the backbone of the professional circuit, with tournaments tiered by prestige and prize money. Here are the key events across each tier for 2026:

Super 1000 Events

Malaysia Open: January 6-11, Kuala Lumpur
All England Open: March 3-8, Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Indonesia Open: June 2-7, Jakarta
China Open: July 21-26, Changzhou

Super 750 Events

India Open: January 13-18, New Delhi
Singapore Open: May 26-31, Singapore
Japan Open: July 14-19, Tokyo
China Masters: September 1-6, Shenzhen
Denmark Open: October 13-18, Odense
French Open: October 20-25, Paris

Super 500 Events

Indonesia Masters: January 20-25, Jakarta
Thailand Open: May 12-17, Bangkok
Malaysia Masters: May 19-24
Australian Open: June 9-14, Sydney Olympic Park
Korea Open: September 8-13, Yeosu City
Arctic Open: October 6-11, Vantaa, Finland
HYLO Open: October 27-November 1, Saarbrucken, Germany
Japan Masters: November 10-15, Kumamoto
Hong Kong Open: November 17-22, Hong Kong

The season culminates with the BWF World Tour Finals from December 9 to 13 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China, featuring only the top eight qualifiers in each discipline based on accumulated ranking points throughout the year.

Asian Games 2026 — Aichi-Nagoya, Japan

Badminton returns to the Asian Games stage from September 20 to 29 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. As the largest continental multi-sport event, the Asian Games carry enormous prestige, and badminton events typically feature incredibly high-quality fields given Asia's dominance in the sport. Expect the top players from China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, India, Malaysia, and Thailand to compete fiercely for gold.

Badminton Asia Championships 2026

The Badminton Asia Championships will be held from April 7 to 12 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in China. Classified as a premier continental event, it brings together Asia's finest players in what is typically one of the most competitive tournaments on the calendar due to the region's depth of talent.

Australian Badminton in 2026

Australia's badminton calendar in 2026 features both international and domestic highlights, headlined by the return of world-class competition to Sydney.

SATHIO GROUP Australian Open — June 9-14, Sydney

The crown jewel of Australian badminton, the SATHIO GROUP Australian Open is a BWF World Tour Super 500 event held at Sydney Olympic Park. Running from June 9 to 14, the tournament attracts top international talent to Australian shores and offers crucial ranking points in the race toward the LA 2028 Olympics. For local fans, it's the best opportunity to see world-class badminton live without leaving the country.

Oceania Championships

The VICTOR Oceania Team Championships and Individual Championships were held in February 2026 in New Zealand. Australia continued its regional dominance, claiming their fourth consecutive men's team title and eighth consecutive women's team title. In the individual event, Shrey Dhand won the men's singles title and Angela Yu took a double, winning multiple gold medals alongside her brother Jack Yu.

Domestic Events

Yonex Australian National Masters Championships: March 20-22, Ken Kay Badminton Stadium
NSW Easter Open: March 2026
ABL Premier Challenge: April 11-12
City of Adelaide Tournament: Date TBC
Yonex Bendigo International: Date TBC

2026 Calendar Highlights by Month

January

Malaysia Open — Super 1000 (Jan 6-11)
India Open — Super 750 (Jan 13-18)
Indonesia Masters — Super 500 (Jan 20-25)
Thailand Masters — Super 300 (Jan 27-Feb 1)

February

Badminton Asia Team Championships — Qingdao, China (Feb 3-8)
European Team Championships — Istanbul, Turkey (Feb 11-15)
VICTOR Oceania Championships — New Zealand
German Open — Super 300 (Feb 24-Mar 1)

March

All England Open — Super 1000 (Mar 3-8)
Swiss Open — Super 300 (Mar 10-15)
Orleans Masters — Super 300 (Mar 17-22)
Yonex Australian National Masters Championships (Mar 20-22)

April-May

Badminton Asia Championships — Ningbo, China (Apr 7-12)
European Individual Championships — Huelva, Spain (Apr 6-12)
ABL Premier Challenge (Apr 11-12)
Thomas & Uber Cup Finals — Horsens, Denmark (Apr 24-May 3)
Thailand Open — Super 500 (May 12-17)
Malaysia Masters — Super 500 (May 19-24)
Singapore Open — Super 750 (May 26-31)

June-July

Indonesia Open — Super 1000 (Jun 2-7)
Australian Open — Super 500, Sydney (Jun 9-14)
Macau Open — Super 300 (Jun 16-21)
US Open — Super 300 (Jun 23-28)
Canada Open — Super 300 (Jun 30-Jul 5)
Japan Open — Super 750 (Jul 14-19)
China Open — Super 1000 (Jul 21-26)
Taipei Open — Super 300 (Jul 28-Aug 2)

August

BWF World Championships — New Delhi, India (Aug 17-23)

September-November

China Masters — Super 750 (Sep 1-6)
Korea Open — Super 500 (Sep 8-13)
Asian Games Badminton — Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (Sep 20-29)
Arctic Open — Super 500 (Oct 6-11)
Denmark Open — Super 750 (Oct 13-18)
French Open — Super 750 (Oct 20-25)
HYLO Open — Super 500 (Oct 27-Nov 1)
Korea Masters — Super 300 (Nov 3-8)
Japan Masters — Super 500 (Nov 10-15)
Hong Kong Open — Super 500 (Nov 17-22)
Syed Modi India International — Super 300 (Nov 24-29)

December

BWF World Tour Finals — Hangzhou, China (Dec 9-13)

What Makes 2026 Special for Badminton

The 2026 season is packed with significance. The BWF World Championships in New Delhi mark India's first time hosting since 2009, bringing the sport's biggest individual event to one of its most passionate markets. The Thomas & Uber Cup in Denmark will see nations battle for team supremacy, while the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya add the prestige of a major multi-sport event to an already stacked calendar.

Crucially, 2026 marks the midpoint of the LA 2028 Olympic qualification cycle. Every BWF World Tour event, continental championship, and World Championship performance feeds into the ranking points that will ultimately determine who competes for Olympic medals. Expect heightened intensity across the circuit as players position themselves for qualification.

For Australian fans, the SATHIO GROUP Australian Open in Sydney (June 9-14) is the highlight. As a Super 500 event at Sydney Olympic Park, it offers the chance to watch world-class players compete live. Check out our guide to badminton courts in Sydney to find where you can play before or after catching the action.