BWF to revamp World Tour from 2027 with bigger prize money, new formats

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Monday announced a major overhaul of the global badminton calendar from 2027 , unveiling an expanded World Tour , higher prize money , and revamped competition formats aimed at accelerating the sport’s growth worldwide.

Under the new framework, the BWF World Tour will feature 36 tournaments across a six-tier system, including the World Tour Finals, five Super 1000 , five Super 750, nine Super 500, eight Super 300, and eight Super 100 events, with Super 100 tournaments integrated into the main tour for the first time. Super 1000 tournaments will see 48 players competing in group-stage and knockout rounds in singles, while doubles events will have 32-pair knockout draws. Each Super 1000 event will span 11 days across two weekends, with all 1,095 matches broadcast globally. The changes are expected to provide players with more match exposure, reduce ranking volatility, and reward consistent performance.

The overhaul also significantly raises prize money, with the total annual pool on the World Tour increasing to approximately USD 26.9 million . Super 1000 events will carry USD 2 million, Super 750 USD 1.1 million, Super 500 USD 560,000, Super 300 USD 290,000, and Super 100 USD 140,000. The expansion of team events such as the Sudirman Cup and Thomas & Uber Cup will allow more countries to participate, enhancing global representation.

The World Championships will introduce a group-stage phase before knockouts, guaranteeing that every player competes in at least two matches. According to BWF officials, the combination of longer tournaments, more televised matches, and higher stakes is expected to increase the sport’s popularity, attract sponsorship, and strengthen fan engagement globally.

“We are building a sport that speaks to the next generation. Every element, from competition formats with increased prize money, to broadcast strategy and sponsorship value chains, has been reimagined to meet the demands of a truly global sport in the 21st century,” BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said. BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund added that the changes place players at the centre of the ecosystem, driving sustainable growth and amplifying badminton’s global reach.