India's badminton stars seeded for 2026 World Championships in New Delhi

India will host the BWF World Badminton Championships at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from August 17‑23, 2026. The draw gave Indian players a mixed outlook. Men’s singles debutant Ayush Shetty faces defending champion Shi Yuqi of China in the opening round, while top‑seed P. V. Sindhu starts against world No. 141 Sophia Nobel of Ireland. Lakshya Sen, seeded 14th, and the seeded doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy‑Chirag Shetty (fifth seed) also received relatively favourable starts.

Seedings confirm India’s strong presence: Sindhu is seeded ninth, Satwik‑Chirag fifth, Lakshya Sen 14th, and the mixed doubles duo Dhruv Kapila‑Tanisha Crasto 15th. The tournament features two Indian entries in each of the five disciplines, with at least one seeded pair in four of them. World No. 1 Shi Yuqi (men’s singles) and South Korea’s An Se Young (women’s singles) top the seedings overall.

National coach Pullela Gopichand praised the draw, noting that an early clash with Shi Yuqi could open the pathway for Shetty. The championships mark India’s first hosting of the event in 17 years, following the 2009 edition in Hyderabad, and come after a decade of increased Indian success in badminton, including three Olympic medals and a Thomas Cup victory.