BWF TO EXPAND SUPER 1000 CATEGORY TO FIVE TOURNAMENTS FROM 2027

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The Badminton World Federation (BWF) will expand the Super 1000 category to five tournaments from 2027 onwards as part of a restructuring of the BWF World Tour.

In a statement, BWF said each Super 1000 tournament will be staged over 11 days, spanning two weekends, as part of a wider uplift across the tour that also includes the Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 and Super 100 categories.

BWF said Malaysia, China, England and Indonesia will host Super 1000 tournaments, while Denmark has been upgraded from Super 750 to Super 1000 status under the revamped World Tour structure.

“The BWF World Championships will adopt a group-stage format followed by knockout play, ensuring all competitors contest at least two matches. This reduces early eliminations and strengthens fan engagement across more markets.

“The introduction of two-week formats across more tournament levels represents a deliberate enhancement to improve playing conditions for the world’s leading players,” the statement said.

BWF also announced an increase in prize money across all tournament tiers, with Super 1000 events offering US$2 million, up from US$1.45 million in 2026. Prize money for Super 750 tournaments will rise to US$1.1 million from US$950,000, while Super 500 events will increase to US$560,000 from US$500,000.

Meanwhile, BWF Sudirman Cup Finals and BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals will expand to more teams, delivering broader international representation and competitive diversity.

-- BERNAMA