The BWF World Championships 2026 begin in New Delhi on Monday, August 17, with the 30th edition of badminton’s biggest individual tournament returning to India after 17 years. The event runs until August 23 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, featuring the world’s leading players across men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The opening day will feature Round of 64 matches in singles and Round of 48 action in the doubles events.
For the home crowd, PV Sindhu will be one of the biggest attractions as the two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 world champion starts her campaign in the evening. Young Indian star Ayush Shetty also faces a major challenge on day one, taking on defending champion and top seed Shi Yu Qi in the men’s singles draw. With a strong Indian contingent competing across all five disciplines, the hosts will hope to make the most of home support throughout the seven-day championship.
How to Watch BWF World Championships 2026 Live: Streaming and TV Details
How to Watch BWF World Championships 2026 Live in India
The BWF World Championships 2026 can be watched live in India through JioHotstar, which will stream the tournament from August 17 to 23 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Fans can also follow selected outer-court matches on the official BWF TV YouTube channel, although some main-court matches may be unavailable there because of local broadcast rights.
On television, the tournament will be shown across the Star Sports Network, including Star Sports 1, Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD, while DD Sports will also carry selected coverage. Fans who want to attend the championships in person can purchase daily tickets through BookMyShow, with passes starting at ₹499.
How to Watch BWF World Championships 2026 Live in USA
Badminton fans in the USA can watch the BWF World Championships 2026 live for free through the official BWF TV YouTube channel. With no exclusive U.S. television broadcaster for the tournament, viewers can access the available live feeds without local broadcast restrictions. For matches not being streamed, fans can follow live scores and point-by-point updates through the Badminton4U app and the BWF Match Centre.
Since the tournament is being held in New Delhi, the schedule falls into late-night or early-morning hours for U.S. viewers. The morning sessions begin at 9:00 AM IST (11:30 PM EDT/8:30 PM PDT the previous day), while later knockout sessions start at 10:30 AM IST (1:00 AM EDT/10:00 PM PDT). The August 23 finals begin at 1:00 PM IST, which is 3:30 AM EDT/12:30 AM PDT.
How to Watch BWF World Championships 2026 Live in UK
Badminton fans in the UK can watch the BWF World Championships 2026 live for free through the official BWF TV YouTube channel. With no traditional premium broadcaster holding exclusive UK rights for the tournament, the main televised-court feeds are available without geo-restrictions. Fans can also find selected court coverage on Olympics.com, while the BWF Match Centre and Badminton4U app provide live scores and match updates for courts without video coverage.
Because the championships are being held in New Delhi, the action takes place during the early hours of the morning in the UK. The opening rounds begin at 4:30 AM BST, while the quarter-finals and semi-finals start at 6:00 AM BST. The August 23 finals are scheduled for 8:30 AM BST, giving UK viewers a morning of live badminton to follow the tournament’s title-deciding matches.
