BWF World Junior Championships 2025 Begin in Guwahati

After a gap of 17 years, the BWF World Junior Championships return to India, marking a major milestone for Indian badminton. The prestigious tournament, featuring the world’s best young shuttlers, is being held in Guwahati, Assam, from October 6 to 19, 2025. This is the second time India is hosting the event—the first being in Pune in 2008—and it reaffirms the country’s growing role as a global badminton hub.

Structure of the Championship

The 2025 BWF World Junior Championships are divided into two parts.

Suhandinata Cup (Mixed Team Event)

• Scheduled in the first week (October 6–11)
• Features 36 national teams competing for team supremacy

Eye-Level Cup (Individual Events)

• Takes place from October 13–19
• Includes singles, doubles, and mixed doubles categories

The tournament brings together top junior players from powerhouse nations such as China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and France, along with a strong Indian contingent eager to perform on home soil.

India’s Group and Campaign

India is placed in Group H alongside,

• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Sri Lanka
• Nepal

The Indian team opens its campaign against Nepal, followed by matches against Sri Lanka and UAE in the team stage. With a balanced squad featuring top-ranked juniors, India is aiming to improve on its past performances and secure a podium finish in both team and individual categories.

New Relay Scoring Format

This year’s championship introduces an innovative best-of-three relay scoring system,

• Each set is played up to 45 points.
• Teams or players need to win two sets to claim victory.
• The system is designed to make matches faster, more dynamic, and television-friendly while retaining fairness in play.

The experimental format reflects the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) commitment to modernizing the sport and enhancing audience engagement.

India’s Record and Legacy

• India has so far won 11 individual medals in the history of the World Junior Championships. The country’s best performance came in 2008, when it hosted the tournament in Pune, earning three medals, including a gold in the girls’ singles category.
• By hosting the event again, India joins China, Indonesia, and Malaysia as the only Asian countries to have hosted the BWF World Junior Championships twice.

Key Takeaways

• Event: BWF World Junior Championships 2025
• Dates: October 6–19, 2025
• Venue: Guwahati, Assam, India
• Components:
• Suhandinata Cup (Team Event)
• Eye-Level Cup (Individual Events)
• Participating Teams: 36