[Saba Sports News] On May 8, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that Egypt will be the new host of the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships. The tournament is set to take place at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt from October 5 to 18. Following the 2002 World Junior Championships in South Africa, this edition marks the second major BWF elite event to be hosted on the African continent.
For the mixed team event this time, a best-of-three format will be adopted. Each match will be played to 55 points under a relay chase system, featuring five individual disciplines contested in turn, with each individual tie played to 11 points.
BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul stated while making the announcement that the World Junior Championships serve as a cornerstone of the elite player development pathway. For the BWF, it is crucial to appoint a host nation capable of staging the tournament at the highest standard. Moreover, as the 2026 World Junior Championships will be held in the same year as the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, it will not only boost the momentum of badminton development across Africa but also help inspire and nurture the next generation of players on the African continent.
In my opinion, this is far more than an ordinary championship; it is a strategic milestone that will solidify Egypt’s status as a preferred destination for hosting major international sporting events.