BWF World Championships 2026: Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Gets Thumbs-Up From Players Ahead of New Delhi Showpiece
With less than 48 hours remaining before the BWF World Championships 2026 begin in New Delhi, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium is undergoing its final preparations for one of the biggest events on the international badminton calendar.
The venue has already received encouraging feedback from some of the world's leading players, with the Chinese contingent among the teams to train at the stadium and assess the playing conditions ahead of the tournament. For India, the return of the World Championships is a major occasion. The prestigious event is coming back to Indian soil after 17 years, bringing together the world's leading men's and women's singles players and doubles pairs in the capital.
The tournament is expected to attract significant attention, particularly with India's PV Sindhu among the leading home contenders.
The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium underwent significant refurbishment following concerns raised during the India Open earlier this year, which served as a test event for the World Championships. The Badminton Association of India and the Sports Authority of India, which owns the stadium, subsequently undertook extensive work on the venue, with more than ₹20 crore reportedly spent on refurbishment.
The response from players during their latest practice sessions has been largely positive. Chinese world No. 3 Wang Zhi Yi, one of the leading contenders in the women's singles draw, said the stadium had changed considerably since the earlier event. “I think the stadium has changed a lot; that’s very good. I just finished my training; I feel like there was a little bit of wind on the court, so we need to get used to the conditions,” Wang said after her practice session.
Her comments also highlighted one of the key factors players have been focusing on: the conditions inside the playing hall. Players training at the main stadium on Saturday observed a slight side drift across the courts. Rather than treating it as a major concern, the leading players used their practice sessions to understand how the shuttle was behaving and make the necessary adjustments.
For athletes competing at the highest level, even small variations in airflow can influence shuttle speed, trajectory and shot selection.
The Chinese team arrives in New Delhi with a particularly important objective in the women's singles competition. China has endured a 15-year wait for a women's singles World Championships title, an unusually long drought for a nation with such a rich history in the discipline. Wang Zhi Yi is among the leading contenders, while the Chinese challenge will also feature 2020 Olympic champion Chen Yufei and world No. 5 Han Yue.
Chen also offered a positive assessment after her practice session, saying the conditions were better compared to the previous time the players competed at the stadium. “The conditions are quite good compared to the last time we played here. I am getting used to the weather, but apart from that, I am just focused on giving my best in the tournament,” Chen said.
The comments from the Chinese contingent will be particularly encouraging for the organisers given the stadium's role in hosting the world's premier badminton championship.
For Indian fans, Wang Zhi Yi's comments carry an additional significance because she could potentially face PV Sindhu in the pre-quarterfinals. Sindhu is one of the biggest names in the tournament and has a special connection with the World Championships, having won the women's singles title in 2019. Her presence gives the home crowd a major player to rally behind as the competition returns to India after 17 years.
The prospect of a Sindhu-Wang encounter would add another layer of intrigue to the tournament, although both players must first negotiate the earlier rounds of the draw. With the tournament beginning on Monday, the focus for every competitor will be on adapting quickly to the venue and conditions.
The organisers have also focused on ensuring that the experience extends beyond the courts. The Badminton Association of India has established a dedicated players' lounge with round-the-clock food availability. A sanitary pad machine has also been installed for women players, reflecting an effort to provide greater convenience and support during the tournament.
Such facilities become increasingly important during a major championship, where players and support teams spend long hours at the venue across multiple days. The World Championships differ from the India Open in another important respect. While the India Open generally begins its competition on Tuesday, the World Championships will get underway on Monday, with matches involving players from the top half of the men's and women's singles draws scheduled for the opening day.
That means players have less time to settle into tournament mode once the championship begins.
The refurbished Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium now stands ready to host the world's best badminton players. For the organisers, the positive feedback from the Chinese contingent is an encouraging sign that the work undertaken after the India Open has addressed many of the concerns surrounding the venue.
For the players, however, the final objective is much simpler. Adapt to the conditions, execute under pressure and compete for a World Championships medal. India will hope Sindhu and the country's other representatives can make the most of home conditions, while China will attempt to end its long wait for women's singles gold.
With less than 48 hours to go, the stage is set in New Delhi. The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium has been refurbished, the players have begun adapting to the conditions, and the world's biggest badminton championship is ready to return to India after 17 years.
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