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Badminton World Tour to Feature longer Super 1000 Events with Group Stage
The Badminton World Association is revamping the World Tour series, with significant changes coming to the Super 1000 tournaments.
by Anya Schmidt | TOKYO – 2025/05/29 06:29:01
Starting in 2027, the Badminton World Tour Super 1000 tournaments are set to expand, incorporating two-week events with eleven match days. This announcement was made by the Badminton World Association (BWF) on Wednesday, marking a significant shift in the tournament structure.
This decision follows requests from prominent players, including two-time Olympic champion viktor Axelsen, who advocated for more rest days during the demanding Super 1000 tournaments.”The all-English adn other Super-1000 tournaments could take ten days or more. That would give players one or two additional rest days that increase the excitement around the games and offer media and fans more opportunities to interact with the players,” said Axelsen in February of this year.
Along with the extended duration, the Super 1000 tournaments will adopt a new system featuring group games from 2027 to 2030.
“According to a new tournament concept, the four super 1000 tournaments are held in singles with a group game system and 48 participants in both men’s and women’s singles,” said the BWF. “The double disciplines are held according to a knockout system with 32 pairings. The entire tournament extends over eleven days (ends on Sundays) and is held on two courts,” writes the BWF.The introduction of two courts aims to facilitate the broadcast of all 219 games of a Super 1000 tournament.
The enhanced live TV production and transmission mean that, from 2027, 100 % of the Super 1000 games will be broadcast on television. Currently, only 51 % of the games of a Super 1000 event are played on a court with TV production capabilities.
Further modifications to the BWF World Tour include increased prize money for the players and the complete integration of the super 100 tournaments into the World Tour program.
“Super-100 tournaments are now fully integrated into the commercial structure of the BWF World Tour,including the distribution of international media rights and integration into the title sponsorship of the World Tour,” says a clarification of the BWF. The full integration of the Super 100 means that a season of the BWF World Tour will now consist of four Super 1000 tournaments,six Super 750 tournaments,nine Super 500 tournaments,eight Super 300 tournaments (previously eleven),and eight Super 100 tournaments (previously ten).
Impact on Players and Fans
The changes to the Badminton World Tour are expected to have a significant impact on both players and fans. The extended tournament duration and the introduction of group stages will provide players with more opportunities to compete and showcase their skills. The increased rest days, as advocated by Viktor Axelsen, should also help to reduce player fatigue and improve the overall quality of play.
“The all-English and other Super-1000 tournaments could take ten days or more…that increase the excitement around the games”
For fans, the increased TV coverage and the expanded tournament format will offer a more immersive and engaging viewing experience. The addition of more matches and the introduction of group stages should create more excitement and drama, making the Super 1000 tournaments even more compelling to watch.
