BWF World Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty Draws Top Seed Shi Yuqi in Delhi

The draw for the BWF World Championships 2026, set to begin in New Delhi on August 17, has presented a challenging start for several Indian shuttlers. Ayush Shetty is scheduled to face the world No. 1 and defending champion, Shi Yuqi of China, in a blockbuster opening-round match. Despite the daunting task, national coach Pullela Gopichand remarked that facing a top-ranked opponent early in the tournament can sometimes be advantageous for a young player's momentum. Other Indian players, including Lakshya Sen, have received relatively easier opening fixtures as they look to progress through the early rounds in front of a home crowd.

PV Sindhu, India’s most successful player at the World Championships, enters the tournament as the 9th seed. She has been placed in the lower quarter of the top half of the draw, potentially setting up a clash with South Korea’s top-seeded An Se Young later in the competition. In the doubles category, the star duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are seeded 5th and remain India’s strongest hope for a gold medal. The tournament features a high-stakes field, with all the world's top-ten players confirmed to participate in the prestigious event being hosted at the K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall.

Hosting the BWF World Championships in Delhi marks a significant milestone for Indian badminton, providing a major platform for the sport's domestic growth. The event is expected to draw massive crowds and increase the pressure on Indian athletes to perform on home soil. This is the first time in over a decade that India is hosting the flagship BWF event, and the local organisers have implemented high-standard facilities to accommodate global stars. For fans, this offers a rare opportunity to see legends like Shi Yuqi and An Se Young compete against India's rising stars in person, potentially inspiring the next generation of badminton players in the country.