Source:Visual China Group/VCG
[Saba Sports News] On December 12, badminton men’s singles world champion Shi Yu Qi officially announced his participation in the 2025 Kings Cup International Badminton Open. According to reports, the Kings Cup International Badminton Open is a top-tier commercial event co-founded by Olympic champion Lin Dan and the Nanshan District Government in Shenzhen. The event focuses on men’s singles and aims to promote the internationalization and commercialization of badminton. However, this tournament operates entirely independently from the Badminton World Federation system, does not offer ranking points, but has an impressive prize pool.The inaugural event will take place in Shenzhen in 2024, where Danish player Anders Antonsen emerged as the champion, taking home a prize of $155,000. This year’s Kings Cup will be held from December 26 to 28 at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, with the total prize money increasing to $425,000. The champion will receive a whopping $170,000, the runner-up $85,000, the third place $49,000, and all quarterfinalists will receive a guaranteed minimum prize of $21,000.To prepare for the event, the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center has upgraded facilities such as light shows and DJ interactions, aiming to create an immersive viewing experience. Additionally, there will be community interaction activities outside the venue, and cultural and creative products have been developed to enhance the event’s IP influence. It’s reported that Lin Dan and Peter Gade will participate in an exhibition match, recreating the “Kings Showdown,” but Viktor Axelsen has declined Lin Dan’s invitation to the Kings Cup, citing “schedule conflicts.”