2021 and 2023 Para badminton Worlds hosts announced

Japan and Thailand will stage the next two editions of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Para Badminton World Championships. The respective hosts were awarded the prestigious event following a vote by BWF Council.

Four high quality bids for both editions of the Championships were received. Japan Para Badminton Federation came out just ahead of Badminton Peru for 2021, while Badminton Association of Thailand got the nod over Badminton Canada for 2023. 

A thorough process was undertaken to evaluate the bids against the criteria, and following bid presentations, the BWF Council discussed at length the merits of each bid before coming to a decision.

It was clear that all bids would serve to benefit Para badminton athletes and further the development of Para badminton globally. However, the BWF Council determined that Japan and Thailand provided the best, most sustainable framework to deliver the highest standard of tournament possible, and ultimately, the best athlete experience.

Badminton Canada and Badminton Peru continue to be an important host destination for BWF sanctioned international Para badminton competitions.

Para badminton is one of two exciting new sports spicing up the Paralympic programme this summer, joining fellow debutant taekwondo and 20 other sports at Tokyo 2020 next year.

While Para badminton is making its first Games appearance, it has been played internationally since the 1990s. The first World Championships started in 1998 in Amersfoort, Netherlands – and since 2001, it has taken place every two years.

But the sport really came to prominence in 2014. Following a bid by the BWF to include Para badminton as a Paralympic sport, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) selected the sport for Tokyo 2020. Since then, it has continued to grow in popularity, moving from 230 athletes from 35 countries at 2015’s World Championships to more than 300 athletes from almost 50 countries competing at last year’s Worlds in Basel, Switzerland.