The BWF World Championships 2026 begin on Sunday 17 August in New Delhi, India — and Singapore arrives as a legitimate presence, not merely a participant. Loh Kean Yew, the 2021 world champion and the only Singaporean to have won the title, heads to the Indira Gandhi Arena as a seeded contender. Alongside him, Yeo Jia Min leads the women’s singles charge and a full Singapore contingent of eight players competes across three events.
Loh Kean Yew: Seeded, Motivated, and Ready to Hunt Another Title
When the seeds were released on 4 August, Loh Kean Yew’s name appeared among the elite — a deserved recognition of both his standing as a former world champion and the form he has shown throughout 2026. He is one of only three seeded men’s singles players who have previously won the title at the World Championships, alongside reigning champion Shi Yu Qi (China) and 2023 winner Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand).
The year has been building towards this moment. At the KFF Singapore Open in late May, Loh reached the final at his home tournament — the first Singaporean men’s singles finalist in 24 years — where he ultimately fell to France’s Alex Lanier in three sets. That run, combined with a quarter-final at the Asia Championships in Ningbo, confirms that his game is at or near a career peak heading into the biggest event of the calendar.
At the World Championships, Loh has an opportunity to write another historic chapter. His 2021 triumph in Huelva, Spain, made him Singapore’s first and only world champion in any sport at a senior world championships. Repeating that feat — or even reaching the final — would rank among the country’s greatest individual sporting achievements.
Yeo Jia Min and Singapore’s Full Contingent
Yeo Jia Min, who reached the round of 16 at the Paris 2024 Olympics, is Singapore’s lead women’s singles representative in New Delhi. The 27-year-old has spent years competing at the elite level of the BWF World Tour and brings significant championship experience to her campaign.
Singapore’s full complement in New Delhi numbers eight athletes across three events: two men’s singles spots, two women’s singles spots, and two men’s doubles pairs. The men’s doubles contingent will be looking to make their mark against the world’s elite pairs, with Indonesia — who hold three of the top 16 seedings in the event — the dominant force to overcome.
The Field: New Delhi’s Toughest Test
India hosting the World Championships for the first time since 2009 adds an electric atmosphere to the equation. The home crowd will roar for Lakshya Sen and a strong Indian women’s doubles contingent, while the traditional powerhouses — China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark and Thailand — all arrive with medal ambitions across every event.
In men’s singles, Loh will face the likes of Shi Yu Qi (No.1 seed), Viktor Axelsen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Jonatan Christie and Christo Popov — all of whom are capable of winning the gold medal. The draw, held today (5 August) in New Delhi, will reveal Loh’s path through the bracket. Based on his seeding, he avoids the top seeds until the later rounds, giving him a viable route to at least the quarterfinals.
In women’s singles, Korea’s An Se Young is the top seed, with reigning three-time champion Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) seeded second. Yeo Jia Min’s path will depend on the draw, but any run past the third round would represent a strong showing at a stacked championship.
Why This Moment Matters for Singapore Badminton
Singapore sends a confident, experienced team to New Delhi. Loh’s seeded status means the global badminton community acknowledges what Singapore already knows: he is not just a former champion chasing a memory, but an active contender with the game to upset the best players on the planet.
The BWF World Championships run from 17 to 23 August at the Indira Gandhi Arena. Follow all the action from the Singapore contingent in our Sports section at Little Big Red Dot.
