The All England Open will retain its top-tier status, dispelling speculation that the prestigious badminton tournament could be relegated to the second tier in the next Badminton World Tour (BWF) cycle from 2027 to 2030.
Rumors of the All England Open’s potential downgrade from Super 1000 to Super 750 primarily stemmed from the BWF’s aggressive commercial restructuring of the World Tour for the 2027-2030 cycle.
On Monday, the BWF confirmed a significant increase in prize money for Super 1000 events, increasing the minimum purse from $1.45 million to $2 million. It was also announced that the Super 1000 tournaments could be expanded to an 11-day window that will include both rounds and elimination stages.
Speculation has intensified with suggestions that Badminton England could struggle to secure the financial support and infrastructure needed to meet these more demanding standards. This has prompted talk that the historic All England Open could be replaced at the highest level by emerging events such as the India Open or the Denmark Open, signaling a potential shift in BWF priorities towards commercial viability and broadcast stability over the 127-year tradition.
However, the All England Open retained its Super 1000 status, alongside the Denmark Open, Indonesia Open, China Open and Malaysia Open.
DELHI HOLDS INDIA OPEN
The India Open, meanwhile, has retained its Super 750 status and will continue to be held in New Delhi throughout the 2027-2030 cycle, according to the revised calendar.
The The India Open faced criticism earlier this year after several overseas players, notably Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt and Anders Antonsen, raised concerns about hygiene standards and poor air quality during the January window. Reports of bird droppings on the courts and monkeys in the stands during the week-long tournament drew criticism from various quarters and even prompted India’s sports ministry to ask the organizers for an explanation.
Despite opposition, the BWF retained Delhi as the host city for one of the world’s five Super 750 races.
While the dates for the next cycle are yet to be announced, Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary. Sanjay Mishra had earlier told IndiaToday.in that the India Open could be moved from January to a later slot to avoid harsh winter conditions.
In a further boost to the BAI, the BWF also confirmed that the World Cup would remain in Delhi and said it had full confidence in the local organizing committee and India’s ability to address the concerns raised during the India Open.
KEY TOUR CHANGES (2027-2030)
- With the addition of the Denmark Open, the number of Super 1000 events increased from four to five.
- The Hong Kong Open was upgraded from a Super 500 to a Super 750, while the Singapore Open was downgraded to a Super 500.
- Meanwhile, Syed Modi International, currently a Super 300 competition, has been downgraded to Super 100.
- Odisha Masters and Guwahati Masters, both currently Super 100, will not feature in the next cycle.
The BWF World Tour is structured into six tiers – from the elite Super 1000 to the developmental Super 100 – with the higher tiers offering greater World Ranking points and requiring significantly larger purses to attract the world’s top players.
Super 1000 events
1. China – Chengdu
2. Denmark – Odense
3. England – Birmingham
4. Indonesia – Jakarta
5. Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
Super 750 events
1. China – Shenzhen
2. France – Paris
3. Hong Kong China
4. India – Delhi
5. Japan – Tokyo
Super 500 events
1. Australia – Sydney
2. Germany – Ruhr
3. Finland – Vantaa
4. Indonesia – Jakarta
5. Japan – Kumamoto
6. Korea – Seoul
7. Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
8. Singapore
9. Thailand – Bangkok
Super 300 events
1. Canada
2. Chinese Taipei
3. France – Orelen
4. Germany – Saarbrucken
5. Macau, China
6. Switzerland – Basel
7. Thailand – Bangkok
8. USA
Super 100 events
1. China
2. Chinese Taipei – Kaohshung
3. India – Lucknow
4. Indonesia
5. Malaysia
6. The Netherlands – Hertogenbosch
7. Philippines – Manila
8. Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 9, 2026