The international badminton calendar was jolted on January 24, 2026, when the Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) had relinquished its hosting rights for the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships.
What was initially expected to be a routine organisational shift has instead revealed a much deeper structural crisis within the sport’s major-event economy .
Indonesia is not merely another badminton nation it is one of the sport’s spiritual homes. The World Junior Championships themselves trace their roots to Jakarta, where the Bimantara World Junior Invitational was staged between 1987 and 1991 before being formally adopted by the International Badminton Federation in 1992. That such a nation would step away from hosting a Grade 1 youth event sends a powerful message about the financial and institutional pressures surrounding elite badminton today.
Why Indonesia Walked Away
PBSI officially described the event as “no longer feasible,” a phrase that conceals a long-running conflict between host associations and the BWF’s commercial model. At the heart of the dispute lies the 80/20 revenue split for Major Events, under which the BWF controls 80 percent of global commercial exposure rights, leaving just 20 percent for the local host. That limited share must cover venue hire, accommodation, transportation, workforce costs and infrastructure upgrades a combination that often pushes hosts into operating losses.
This was not a sudden change of heart. As far back as 2018, PBSI had formally opposed BWF’s Major Events auction system after incurring heavy losses while hosting the 2015 World Championships. Since then, Indonesia has strategically shifted towards hosting World Tour events like the Indonesia Open and Indonesia Masters, where the federation retains more commercial autonomy and financial control.
Indonesia now joins a growing list of nations that have walked away from BWF events for similar reasons. The USA (Honolulu) and New Zealand (Auckland) both relinquished hosting rights in 2023 due to financial and post-pandemic pressures. The Indonesian withdrawal confirms that even badminton’s strongest markets are no longer willing to underwrite loss-making international events simply for prestige.
The High Cost of Hosting a “Grade 1” Event
The World Junior Championships are categorised as a Grade 1 tournament the highest level under BWF regulations and that classification comes with severe technical and financial obligations. Host venues must provide at least nine metres of clear ceiling height, 1000 lux lighting (up to 1600 lux for television courts), strictly controlled air movement, BWF-approved mats and extensive run-off zones around each court. Even practice halls must meet near-identical standards and be provided free of charge to teams in advance of competition.
In tropical regions like Southeast Asia, controlling airflow below 0.2 metres per second while cooling thousands of spectators requires complex engineering and enormous power costs. Retrofitting arenas to meet these standards often consumes far more than what host associations recover from their restricted commercial share.
Compounding this is the innovative 3×45 relay scoring system being used in the Suhandinata Cup. This format, designed to enhance television appeal, requires specialised digital scoring, timing software and trained officials capable of managing cumulative relay scoring across five disciplines. While progressive in theory, it adds yet another layer of cost and operational risk for organisers.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
With Indonesia stepping aside, BWF has launched an accelerated Request for Proposal process, requiring potential hosts to submit bids by February 28, 2026, with a final decision expected before the end of March. This compressed timeline reflects the urgency of stabilising the 2026 calendar.
India has emerged as the most discussed contingency option. It is already scheduled to host the 2025 World Junior Championships in Guwahati and the 2026 Senior World Championships in New Delhi. From a logistical perspective, India already has event infrastructure and organisational frameworks in place.
However, serious doubts remain. The 2026 India Open at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex exposed significant problems, including hygiene issues, animal intrusions, and severe air pollution. Danish star Anders Antonsen withdrew citing health concerns, while several players publicly criticised the venue’s condition. The Badminton Association of India has promised corrections, but adding another Grade 1 event in the same year would stretch resources dangerously thin.
Malaysia and China are the other obvious alternatives, yet both remain cautious. Malaysia continues to object to the BWF’s commercial terms, while China despite hosting in 2024 has not formally expressed interest in taking over 2026 responsibilities.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
The 2026 World Junior Championships are scheduled for October, just days after the Asian Games conclude in Japan. This overlap places immense strain on Asian federations, whose officials, coaches and technical staff are often required at both events. Combined with a packed World Tour calendar and the Senior World Championships in August, national bodies are being asked to do more with finite resources.
Beyond logistics, the BWF’s insistence on centralised commercial control is now under serious scrutiny. As discussions begin for the 2027–2030 Major Events cycle, host nations are demanding greater revenue shares, more local sponsorship visibility and reduced financial exposure. Without reform, the risk of further withdrawals remains high.
Indonesia’s exit is not merely a scheduling problem it is a warning. If badminton’s most passionate and commercially powerful nations can no longer justify hosting world championships, the sport’s governance model is fundamentally misaligned with economic reality. The future of the 2026 World Junior Championships now depends not just on finding a willing host, but on whether the BWF is prepared to treat host associations as genuine commercial partners rather than logistical providers.
How this crisis is resolved will shape not only October 2026, but the credibility and sustainability of badminton’s global calendar for years to come .
