Zakirin
PETALING JAYA, 14 August 2026 — The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup (LCWC) youth badminton tournament will take place from 29 August to 6 September 2026 at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. Founded by former world No. 1 and three-time Olympic silver medallist Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, the competition features automotive distributor Chery Malaysia as its presenting commercial partner and offers a cumulative prize pool of RM100,000.
The competition is structured as a grassroots talent identification platform, with over 2,000 junior players registered to participate. Standout performers will also be eligible for evaluation trials with the national badminton setup at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
Tournament Categories and Technical Format
The tournament is organized across three junior age divisions and five standard badminton disciplines under a single-leg knockout structure.
The tournament will also implement the experimental $15 \times 3$ point scoring system, serving as an operational evaluation ahead of the format’s scheduled introduction on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour.
| Parameter | Details |
| Dates | 29 August – 6 September 2026 |
| Venue | Stadium Juara, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur |
| Total Prize Purse | RM100,000 |
| Scoring Format | $15 \times 3$ rally-point system |
| Age Categories | Under-13 (U-13), Under-15 (U-15), Under-17 (U-17) |
| Competitive Disciplines | Boys’ Singles, Girls’ Singles, Boys’ Doubles, Girls’ Doubles, Mixed Doubles |
| Development Pathway | National team trial assessments at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) |
Trophy and Medal Specifications
The official challenge trophy and category medals were unveiled at a pre-tournament briefing. The trophy features custom metalwork and woodwork designed to specific dimensional parameters:
- Height: 60 centimetres.
- Total Weight: Approximately 12.5 kilograms.
- Materials: Solid brass core finished with gold plating, mounted upon a carved teakwood base.
- Design Motifs: Includes racquet and net engravings, an embossed likeness of Lee Chong Wei, and an upward-oriented shuttlecock emblem on the upper structure.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Initiatives
Alongside the on-court matches, the event organizers have integrated several corporate social responsibility and governance programs:
- Materials Upcycling: Collection programs to recover, repair, or recycle used synthetic and feather shuttlecocks, as well as worn badminton racquets.
- Grassroots Coaching Clinics: Outreach training sessions conducted by certified coaches for primary and secondary students in rural school districts.
- Safe Sport Integration: Implementation of educational briefings and anti-bullying pledges for participating youth athletes, coaches, and guardians.
Official Statements
- Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, founder of the tournament, stated that the establishment of the competition is intended to provide structured competitive exposure for youth athletes and assist the national talent identification pipeline following his 19-year tenure with the national team.
- Men Lin Bo, Executive Vice President of Chery Corporate Malaysia, noted that the company’s role as presenting partner forms part of its corporate sponsorship initiatives aimed at supporting junior sporting programs and local youth development.
