Frank laurent

The BWF World Championships: The BWF World Championships will return to India after 17 years, with the capital city, New Delhi, chosen to host the landmark 30th edition in August 2026. The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Championships in Paris, where a handover took place between BWF president Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, Frank Laurent, president of the Federation Francaise de Badminton, and Sanjay Mishra, general secretary of the Badminton Association of India.

India’s selection reflects its transformation into one of badminton’s most consistent medal-winning nations at the BWF World Championships, with 15 podium finishes since 1983.

The country’s breakthrough came with Prakash Padukone’s bronze in Copenhagen in 1983, while in 2011 Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa became the first Indian doubles medallists, signalling the nation’s all-round rise. At the forefront stands PV Sindhu, one of the most successful women’s singles players in the tournament’s history, with five medals: a gold, two silvers, and two bronze.