The BWF is considering extending the tournament period + increasing the prize money, which will benefit badminton players all over the world

For badminton players, a long-awaited reform may finally be on the horizon. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is considering key changes from 2027 onwards, including longer tournaments and significant prize money increases, which are expected to benefit badminton players around the world.

Roslin believes that BWF reform is imperative

Former world No. 1 and retired Malaysian Men's Singles Roslin believes that the reform of the BWF is timely and necessary. "This is long overdue and I'm glad that the BWF is now seriously looking at this issue," Roslin said. These are positive developments for the players. ”

Badminton prize money is still much lower than in other racquet sports, and the increase in prize money is seen as a key step forward, as badminton players still earn significantly less than players in other racket sports such as tennis. Currently, the BWF is proposing to increase the prize money for events from 2027 to 2030, with the total prize money for top Super 1000 events such as the All England Open expected to increase from $1.45 million to $2 million.

The influence of badminton is increasing day by day. Roslin added: "Badminton is a globally popular sport and we can see its growing influence, especially as some players become household names. As one of the most talked-about sports, it's fair that players are paid accordingly. "While the $2 million prize money isn't huge, as it will be distributed among players in all five disciplines, it's still a positive step forward."

Super 1000 races may be extended from 7 to 11 days. Roslin also welcomed BWF's consideration of extending the Super 1000 Series from seven to 11 days. Earlier, two-time Olympic champion and Danish superstar Viktor Axelsen also called for BWF reform, stressing the need to extend the schedule to give the top players some breathing space.

Axelsen was previously dissatisfied with the BWF's over-packed schedule, which put a lot of pressure on the athletes' health

In addition, Rosslyn agrees that the change in format may bring more excitement to the fans. Under the new format, the number of players in the men's and women's singles will increase from 36 to 48. The tournament will be played in a group format, similar to the format of the Olympic Games, rather than the traditional knockout format. However, the doubles competition will retain the knockout system of 32 men's doubles teams.

Roslin appreciates the singles group stage format. "I find this format interesting because unlike the current format, even if you lose one game, you still have a chance to qualify from the group stage, rather than just one game," Roslin said. "It will also put pressure on the top players, as the lower-ranked players have the ability to cause an upset when competing for the top two or the only qualifying spot in the group stage."

Currently, the All England, Malaysia Open, Indonesia Open and China Open are four events with Super 1000 level.
On top of that, the players are also hoping that when they are injured during a match, the BWF will change the almost untouchable emergency medical treatment, and the standards for referees and linemen need to be improved.