India Open 2028 to be held in Guwahati

The 2028 India Open badminton tournament will be staged in Guwahati instead of New Delhi, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has confirmed. BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra said on Sunday that the decision was made because the tournament dates clash with Republic Day security arrangements in the national capital.

"The 2028 India Open will be held in the last week of January, and due to the tournament dates clashing with Republic Day security arrangements in the National Capital, we felt that only for that year should we shift the tournament to Guwahati. It will return to New Delhi in 2029," Mishra said, as reported by ANI and The Tribune.

The move is explicitly temporary. India Today reported Mishra as saying that around January 25-30, the Republic Day period, "it becomes very difficult for players' movement, for practice, and for the tournament as well," and that the event would return to Delhi after 2028.

The 2028 edition is scheduled for January 25-30, according to India Today. Guwahati will become the first city outside New Delhi to host the India Open in recent years, as reported by The Times of India. The city has previously hosted major badminton events including the BWF World Junior Championships and international team tournaments.

2027 India Open shifts to February

Before the Guwahati detour, the India Open remains in Delhi for the 2027 edition, but with a change of dates. India Today reported that the 2027 tournament will be held from February 2-7, shifting from its traditional January slot. Mishra explained that BAI could not change the BWF calendar because it is tightly structured, and that shifting to February addresses concerns about cold and pollution.

"By that time the cold reduces a bit and pollution also decreases a bit," Mishra said, as quoted by India Today.

The scheduling issues have been a point of contention for players. Singapore's Loh Kean Yew said during the 2026 India Open that he felt he was breathing less in Delhi and that air quality affected players' energy levels. Danish player Mia Blichfeldt raised concerns about conditions around the training facilities.

World No. 4 Anders Antonsen has skipped the India Open for the last three editions due to pollution and was fined US$5,000 for his latest withdrawal, as reported by India Today and The Times of India. The Times of India noted that Antonsen has indicated he would rather pay the withdrawal penalty than play in Delhi's winter conditions again.

The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium underwent a transformation after criticism over hygiene, playing and practice conditions, bird droppings, and a monkey intrusion following the 2026 India Open, India Today reported. BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund praised the work at the venue, saying he was "super impressed" by what had been established in such a short period.

BWF weighs in on scheduling

BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund acknowledged the air-quality concern but said the 2027 India Open would go ahead in Delhi. He also told reporters that the governing body is continuing to examine the scheduling of the India Open, as reported by The Times of India. Lund noted that a complete restructuring of the calendar has not been possible due to domestic scheduling commitments but said improvements have been made and further changes will be assessed.

Mishra's explanation for the 2028 move is specifically about the tournament falling around the Republic Day period, when movement in the capital becomes difficult. He said the decision is not a permanent verdict on Delhi's ability to host a major tournament, as India Today reported.

World Championships 2026 finals overshadowed by venue news

The announcement came on the final day of the BWF World Championships 2026, held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi. The day saw several records, as reported by ANI and The Tribune.

In mixed doubles, Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue of France upset top seeds Feng Yan She and Huang Dong Ping of China 22-20, 19-21, 21-15 to win France's first gold medal in that event. Alex Lanier then added the men's singles crown, beating Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-11, 21-11. France became the second European nation to win more than one gold medal in a single edition.

In women's singles, An Se Young of Korea defeated defending champion Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-14 to win her second World Championships title. Korea also triumphed in women's doubles, as Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee ended a 31-year wait by beating Chinese top seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning 21-15, 21-15. Lee So Hee, at 32 years and 70 days, became the oldest women's doubles world champion.

In men's doubles, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China defeated Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia 21-16, 21-17, continuing China's streak of winning at least one title at every World Championships since 1983.

India's Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand received bronze medals in women's doubles. The final day witnessed a solid turnout from fans, according to ANI and The Tribune.

BAI confident after World Championships success

BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra said the successful hosting of the World Championships exceeded expectations and received positive feedback from players, officials and the international badminton community. He credited the collective efforts of BAI, the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India.

"Even BWF Secretary Thomas Lund remarked that it went beyond expectations. He mentioned that while on the flight to India, he didn't quite know what to expect, but the event truly surpassed expectations," Mishra said, as quoted by ANI.

Mishra also noted that there was no negativity during the tournament and that BWF's feedback was that next hosts will find it difficult to maintain the standard. He said India has about 8 to 10 players capable of reaching finals or winning major global tournaments, mentioning Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu as players who can deliver podium finishes. He praised Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand for their bronze, noting they hadn't performed much due to injuries over the last eight months.

BAI has submitted a bid to host the Thomas and Uber Cup, and Mishra expressed confidence that BWF will view the bid positively after the successful hosting of the World Championships, as reported by ANI.