World Championships return to India after 17 years, Sindhu leads charge

The BWF World Championships 2026 began in New Delhi on Monday with five Indian shuttlers in action on the first day at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Times Now News reports that India are hosting the tournament for the first time in 17 years.

Five-time medallist PV Sindhu, seeded ninth, faces Sophia Noble of Ireland in the women's singles round of 64. Ayush Shetty makes his World Championships debut against world No. 1 and defending champion Shi Yu Qi of China, English Mathrubhumi notes. Both Indian women's doubles pairs, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand and Kavipriya Selvam-Simran Singhi, and the men's doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan-MR Arjun also play on Court 1 on the opening day.

Lakshya Sen, a bronze medallist in 2021, spearheads the men's singles campaign alongside Shetty, according to Mathrubhumi. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, fifth seeds in men's doubles, are targeting their maiden world title after bronze medals in 2022 and 2025.