India Open 2027 shifted to February as BWF unveils 35-tournament World Tour calendar
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The India Open Super 750 has been rescheduled to 2 to 7 February 2027, with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday releasing its revamped 35-tournament World Tour calendar covering the 2027 and 2028 seasons. The flagship Indian badminton tournament, previously slated for 13 to 18 January 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, will also be held from 25 to 30 January 2028 in the subsequent cycle.
Key Changes for Indian Tournaments
Alongside the India Open rescheduling, the BWF confirmed that the Syed Modi India International has been downgraded to a Super 100 tournament. The Lucknow-based event will be held from 27 July to 1 August 2027, and from 25 to 30 July 2028. The downgrade marks a notable shift in the stature of one of India's established domestic international events.
Structure of the New World Tour Calendar
The BWF has designed a global circuit of 35 tournaments for each of the two seasons, spanning events from Super 1000 to Super 100 level, along with the season-ending World Tour Finals. At the top tier, five Super 1000 tournaments across Asia and Europe will each run for 11 days over two weekends. These marquee events will feature a 48-player singles draw with a group stage followed by knockout rounds, and a 32-pair doubles knockout draw. The BWF stated that all 1,095 matches in the Super 1000 tournaments will be broadcast worldwide.
New Scoring System from January 2027
As part of its long-term modernisation drive, the BWF confirmed that all tournaments from 4 January 2027 will adopt the new 3x15 scoring system, replacing the current format. This represents the most significant rule change in professional badminton in years, and its impact on match dynamics and broadcast scheduling is expected to be closely watched.
Player Welfare and Olympic Qualification
BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said the updated calendar prioritises player well-being. 'Our players are at the heart of everything we do. As global ambassadors and icons of our sport, they deserve an environment that allows them to perform at their best, recover properly, and connect meaningfully with fans around the world,' she said. She added that 'longer competition windows aim to enhance playing conditions for our top athletes,' providing 'better scheduling and more recovery time between matches.'
The LA28 Olympic Games qualification window has been set from 3 May 2027 to 30 April 2028. The BWF also noted that dates and host cities for the 2027 Sudirman Cup Finals, 2027 World Championships, and 2028 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals will be announced at a later stage.