Badminton India Open retains S750 status despite severe criticism; Syed Modi demoted to S100 in latest BWF Calendar for 2027
(Courtesy : BAI)
The Syed Modi International in Lucknow has been downgraded from Super 300 to Super 100 from 2027.
High air pollution, bird droppings on court, monkeys in the stands and poor facilities, the BWF India Open 2026 had almost everything that could go wrong. Yet, despite all the criticism, the tournament has managed to keep its prestigious Super 750 status for the 2027–2030 cycle.
The Badminton World Federation released its updated World Tour calendar for 2027 onwards, bringing major changes across countries. The new calender saw no change with India Open as Delhi remain the host city.
This means the India Open will continue to offer $1.1 million in prize money and remain one of the five Super 750 stops on the BWF tour for more three years.
On the other hand, Denmark Open has been upgraded from Super 750 to Super 1000, Hong Kong has moved up from Super 500 to Super 750, while Singapore has been downgraded from Super 750 to Super 500.
At the same time, the number of Super 100 tournaments has been reduced, leaving only one such event each for countries like India, China, and Indonesia. In this reshuffle, India suffered a setback too as the Syed Modi International in Lucknow was downgraded from World Tour 300 to World Tour 100 from 2027.
The tournament’s prize money has been cut almost in half. Some other tournaments in India have also been removed from the calendar altogether.
Also Read: Top five popular badminton couples of all-time
What was the India Open controvery?
Held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in January, the India Open 2026 was overshadowed by some serious organisational and environmental issues.
Players complained about dirty practice halls, extreme cold inside the venue, and unsafe air quality. Some struggled to breathe, while Denmark’s Anders Antonsen withdrew citing pollution concerns.
One of the most embarrassing moments came when matches had to be stopped because bird droppings and nest debris fell onto the court. This happened during the match of HS Prannoy as well, when the play was interrupted twice. In another bizarre incident, a monkey was seen in the stands and training areas, drawing global attention and criticism.
Despite the chaos off court, the level of badminton remained world-class. Lin Chun-yi of Chinese Taipei and South Korea’s An Se-young won the singles events.
Lin won his first Super 750 title, while An Se-young defended her women’s singles crown. China swept both doubles titles, and Thailand claimed the mixed doubles trophy.
The India Open has come a long way over the years. It started as a Grand Prix Gold event in 2008, then became part of the Superseries, later a Super 500, and finally reached Super 750 status in 2023.
Big Changes in BWF World Tour from 2027
- Denmark Open upgraded from Super 750 to Super 1000
- Hong Kong Open upgraded from Super 500 to Super 750
- Singapore Open downgraded from Super 750 to Super 500
- German Open upgraded from Super 300 to Super 500
- Hylo Open downgraded from Super 500 to Super 300
- Syed Modi International downgraded from Super 300 to Super 100
- Dutch Open upgraded from International Challenge to Super 100
How much prize money will India Open offer from 2027 onwards?
The India Open will continue to offer $1.1 million in prize money as a Super 750 tournament.
What happened to the Syed Modi International tournament?
The Syed Modi International in Lucknow has been downgraded from Super 300 to Super 100 from 2027, leading to reduced prize money and fewer ranking points.
What were the main controversies at the India Open 2026?
The tournament faced problems such as high air pollution, bird droppings on court, poor hygiene, cold practice halls, and even monkeys in the venue.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
Uzma Fatima is a passionate sports journalist who believes every match has a story waiting to be told. Whether it's the grace of Olympic champions, the grit of tennis and badminton battles, or the drama of cricket’s highs and heartbreaks — she loves capturing the emotion behind the action. Off the field, she’s a Formula 1 enthusiast who never misses a race weekend.