The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Monday announced a major overhaul of badminton’s global competition calendar from 2027, introducing an expanded World Tour, higher prize money and new formats designed to significantly grow the sport’s international reach and commercial appeal.
The reforms come after the extension of BWF’s long-term agreement with its broadcast and commercial partner Infront, a deal that now runs through to 2034 and was announced last year. With increased broadcast stability secured, the BWF said it is ready to reshape the sport’s elite structure for the next decade.
One of the most notable changes is a dramatic increase in broadcast output. Under the new framework, the number of TV-produced matches across all BWF tournaments will more than double, rising from 1,410 to around 3,000. The move is aimed at improving global visibility and offering fans more consistent access to top-level badminton.
At the centre of the revamp is a redesigned BWF World Tour, which will expand to 36 tournaments organised into a six-tier structure. The calendar will feature the World Tour Finals, five Super 1000 events, five Super 750 tournaments, nine Super 500 events, eight Super 300 tournaments and eight Super 100 events. For the first time, Super 100 tournaments will be fully integrated into the main World Tour, creating a clearer pathway across levels.
The five Super 1000 tournaments, scheduled to be staged across Asia and Europe, will introduce a new competition format. Singles events will feature 48 players competing in a group stage before progressing to knockout rounds, while doubles competitions will use a 32-pair knockout draw. Each Super 1000 event will be played over 11 days across two weekends, marking a significant shift in tournament structure.
The BWF also confirmed a major increase in prize money. The total annual prize pool across the World Tour will rise to approximately USD 26.9 million. Super 1000 tournaments will offer USD 2 million in prize money, while Super 750 events will award USD 1.1 million. Super 500 tournaments will carry USD 560,000, Super 300 events USD 290,000 and Super 100 tournaments USD 140,000.
Beyond the World Tour, the BWF World Championships will adopt a group stage followed by knockouts from 2027, ensuring every player competes in at least two matches. The Sudirman Cup Finals and Thomas & Uber Cup Finals will also expand to include more teams, increasing overall participation.
Hosts for the revamped World Tour from 2027 to 2030 have already been confirmed, while the venue for the World Tour Finals will be announced at a later date.
