2026-06-01,KUALA LUMPUR

Malaysian junior shuttlers have been given firm dates to mark on their calendars with the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup confirmed to run from Aug 29 to Sept 6 at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara.

The tournament, powered by Chery and sanctioned by the BA of Malaysia (BAM), was launched by global badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei on Feb 26, when he also unveiled a prize money pool of RM100,000, one of the most lucrative on offer for a youth tournament in the country.

Beyond the prize money, a trial opportunity at the Academy Badminton Malaysia awaits the Lee Chong Wei Cup finalist.

Registration for the tournament opens officially on June 15 at noon, with each category limited to 128 entries and an additional 32 waitlist slots.

The format will see the 128 registered players compete for 32 spots in the final 64, where they will be joined by 32 pre-selected state players chosen by their respective state badminton associations.

In line with new Badminton World Federation (BWF) rulings, the tournament will adopt the 3x15 scoring format, where matches are played as a best-of-three with each game going to 15 points.

The inaugural edition will feature three age categories - Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17, with the first two offering boys' singles, girls' singles, boys' doubles and girls' doubles, while the Under-17 category also includes mixed doubles.

To allow wider participation, players are limited to competing in up to two categories within their age group.

Age eligibility is as follows - Under-13 covers players born in 2013, 2014 or 2015, Under-15 is for those born in 2011 or 2012 and Under-17 is for players born in 2009 or 2010.

Registration fees are set at RM50 for singles and RM100 for doubles, with Chong Wei having announced the proceeds will be donated to a charity to be revealed at a later date.

Players and parents are advised to visit the official website at www.leechongweicup.com for tournament rules and regulations.