Copyright news18
The inaugural edition of the BWF AirBadminton World Cup is slated to be held between the 11th and 14th of December in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates as twelve national teams are set to vie for the top honours. AirBadminton is a format designed for outdoor play on surfaces such as sand, grass, and hard courts. Australia, Germany, Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Indonesia, Bulgaria, Nigeria, China, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Venezuela have earned their place in the tournament after a rigorous qualification process. In the triples format, matches will be played in a best-of-five games format. Each game is won by the first team to reach 9 points. If the score reaches 8-all, a team must lead by two points to win. If the score reaches 12-all, the next point decides the winner. Teams may make up to three substitutions per match. In the team relay, each tie consists of four matches: women’s doubles, men’s doubles, women’s triples, and men’s triples. Each match is played to 15 points, with scores accumulating in a relay format. The first team to reach 60 points wins the tie. Players may participate in one or two matches per tie. “A maximum of 96 athletes will compete across three events: men’s triples, women’s triples, and the team relay,” BWF said in a release. “Former men’s singles top 10 player Wong Wing Ki Vincent heads the lineup for Team Relay favourites Hong Kong China.” The tournament will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of the UAE Badminton Federation. “AirBadminton, the new outdoor version of the sport, is BWF’s emerging growth discipline with immense potential to expand the global reach of badminton,” BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said. “This year we have launched our first world circuit enabling more Member Associations, teams, and athletes, especially those beyond the traditional badminton powerhouse nations, to take part in BWF-sanctioned competitions. This strengthens the elite competitive landscape and fosters greater inclusivity,” Leeswadtrakul continued. “Our vision for flagship AirBadminton events such as the World Cup in Sharjah is to blend high-level competition with a vibrant festival atmosphere and evening entertainment, helping us reach new audiences and expand the global badminton community,” he added.
