With less than 48 hours to go before the BWF World Championships 2026 kick off at the Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi finds itself under a very different spotlight. The biggest badminton extravaganza returns to India after 17 long years, with different challenges.
Just seven months ago, January’s India Open exposed the venue to international criticism over bird droppings on court, stray animal sightings, pollution, air quality and structural flaws.
To avoid criticism ahead of the World Championships, a massive Rs 20 crore revamp by the Sports Authority of India and the Badminton Association of India has added double-door entry systems, ultrasonic bird repellers, monkey whisperers, anti-pigeon gel and sealed roof vents.
For the players arriving in the capital city, the upgraded infrastructure is already delivering a noticeable difference on the court.
Players who practised in the main hall on Saturday noticed a slight side drift on all the courts. Their focus was on understanding the conditions and making the necessary adjustments. Players had raised some concerns about the stadium during the India Open earlier this year, which served as the test event for the World Championships.
China’s world No. 9, Li Shi Feng, gave high marks to the venue’s drift control and upgraded facilities. “I feel like the drift on the court and everything is better than last time,” Li said after completing his practice session.
“The venue is also well maintained and good compared to last time. Our preparations over the last few days have gone very well. The basic notion isn’t just focusing on the opponents, but giving our best and executing the specific tactics we planned,” the defending Asian Games champion added.
Meanwhile, his compatriot and world No. 3 Wang Zhi Yi remains focused on court conditions and rivalries, particularly against home favourite PV Sindhu.
“There’s a bit of wind on the court,” Wang observed. “For sure, I think the stadium has changed a lot, that’s very good. I just finished my training. I want to try to do a little bit of change tactically. I feel like I am working pretty well, but on court it doesn’t work, so hopefully I can do better.”
On her potential clash against India’s double Olympic medallist Sindhu if they go deep in the tournament, Wang said, “I have too many games against Sindhu. She won the Japan Open title, and I think she is playing better and it is going to be tough. I am just focusing on the match.”
Another Chinese stalwart, former Olympic champion and five-time World Championships medallist Chen Yu Fei, also spoke positively about the improved conditions.
“The conditions are quite good compared to the last time we played here. I am getting used to the weather, but apart from that, I am just focused on giving my best in the tournament,” the world No. 4 Chen remarked after the practice session.
Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, who had criticised the playing conditions and air quality during the India Open in January, has also praised the improved facilities in her Instagram story, sharing a two-picture Instagram collage comparing the conditions to highlight the difference.
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