Badminton: BWF Super 1000 events to turn into a two-week affair from 2027

The badminton World Tour Super 1000 events are all set to turn into a two-week affair with 11 match days, starting from the 2027 season, the Badminton World Federation announced on Wednesday.

This development comes after multiple top shuttlers including India's HS Prannoy and Denmark's two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen's calls for more rest days during the prestigious Super 1000 events.

"The All-England and other Super 1000 tournaments could run for 10 days or more. It would give players an extra one or two rest days, create more hype around the matches and provide more opportunities for media and fans to interact with the players," Axelsen had said in February earlier this year.

The Super 1000 events will also follow a new system with group play from the event 2027 to 2030.

"Four (4) Super 1000 tournaments will be played with a new tournament concept in singles with a group play system and 48 entries in both MS and WS," the BWF said.

"Doubles will be played with a 32 knockout draw. The whole tournament will be scheduled over 11 days (ending on a Sunday) and presented on a 2-court setup," it added.

The two-court set up has been brought in keeping in mind, the need to broadcast all the 219 matches which will be played in a Super 1000 tournament.

The push for more live TV production and broadcast means from 2027 a 100% Super 1000 matches will be televised. Currently only 51% matches are televised for a Super 1000 event.

The same number will rise from 39% to 61% in Super 750 events, 16% to 30% in Super 500 events, 7% to 14% in Super 300 events, and from zero to 7% in Super 100 events.

Some other changes, which will be implemented in the BWF World Tour include an increase in prize money offered to the players and the complete integration of Super 100 events into the World Tour banner.

"Super 100 tournaments will now also become a fully integrated part of the BWF World Tour's commercial structure, including distribution of International Media Rights and integration into the World Tour title sponsor setup," a statement from BWF read.

The complete integration of Super 100 means that a BWF World Tour season will now see four Super 1000 tournaments, six Super 750 tournaments, nine Super 500 tournaments, eight Super 300 tournaments (down from 11), and eight Super 100 tournaments (down from 10).