Badminton
Global top Badminton players vie for viable points at 2026 Uganda International Badminton Challenge
- Event: Uganda International Badminton Challenge 2026
- Dates: 18th – 22nd February 2026
- Venue: Lugogo Indoor Arena – Kampala
- Categories: Singles (Men & Women), Doubles (Men & Women), Mixed Doubles
- Prize Fund: $20,000
The 2026 Uganda International Badminton Challenge will officially shuttle off on Wednesday, 18th February 2026 at the Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala.
The world’s best Badminton players have already confirmed to take part in this championship as they target to attain crucial points and better their global ranking.
The World’s body has so far recorded 41 countries ready to compete in the event.
Simon Mugabi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) addressed the media at City Tyres head offices on sixth Street, Industrial Area on Tuesday.
Mugabi was flanked by Muhammed Sserugo, vice chairman of Uganda Badminton Association, Harriet Nattabi (Umpire) and City Tyres’ Herbert Bashasha.
“The Uganda International Badminton Challenge 2026 is here and the top 48 players in the World are all expected in the singles category. This is a good step forward for our local players who will definitely compete against the world’s cream and improve their skill set” Mugabi remarked.
Sserugo lauded the special role of the media in promotion of the sport.
“Uganda Badminton Association appreciates the special role done by the media to promote this game. We are humbled for the gesture as you market the sport” Sserugo lauded.
Some of the Ugandan players led by Gladys Mbabazi and Muzafaru Lubega were also present.
“We are from the All Africa Badminton Championship in Botswana we garnered some experience coming to the Uganda International tournament. We are ready for the championship” Mbabazi noted.
Fadila Mohammed, a gold medalist at the recently concluded continental event in Botswana is expected to lead Uganda’s quest for top honours, alongside bronze medalist (in doubles) Tracy Naluwooza.
Herbert Bashasha, the marketing manager at Mandela Group of Companies commended the leadership of Uganda Badminton Association, appreciating the rest of the sponsors on board.
“Badminton has become part of our daily sponsorship package. The sport of Badminton is a growing sport globally. I thank the rest of the sponsors who have come on board” Bashasha remarked.
Prize money:
A total fund of $20,000 is up for grabs for the outstanding top performers in the different categories; singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
The tournament has been played since 2004 and has the crucial 4000 points that the players need coming to the May cycle for the Olympics Los Angeles 2028 games.
The qualification round will shuttle off on Wednesday, 18th February 2026. The tournament will climax on Sunday, 22nd February 2026.
The creame-de-la-creame male players of the game as Shi Yuqi (China), Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand), Anders Antonsen (Denmark), Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) and Li Shifeng (China), among others are expected to attend.
Some of the leading female players in the world are An Se Young (South Korea), Wang Zhi Yi (China), Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) and others.
The leading doubles’ team has Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae (South Korea), Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia) as well as Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia); among others.
Sponsors & partners:
Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) has joined hands with a number of partners and sponsors as Mandela Group of Companies, Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC), National Council of Sports (NCS), Bank of Baroda, Shuttle Time, Plascon, Badminton World Federation (BWF), Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA).
The post Global top Badminton players vie for viable points at 2026 Uganda International Badminton Challenge appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi has officially transitioned from a rising prospect to a continental powerhouse.
In a historic performance in Botswana, the 18-year-old sensation clinched the gold medal at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships, becoming the first Ugandan woman to ever reach the top of the podium in this prestigious event.
The road to gold was anything but easy. Standing across the net in the final was South Africa’s top seed and the continent’s number four, Johanita Scholtz.
With the home crowd firmly behind her, Scholtz dominated the opening set, winning 21-14 and leaving Shamika with a massive mountain to climb.
Many athletes would have folded under the pressure of a hostile arena and an early deficit, but Shamika leaned on the mental toughness that has defined her young career.
Recognising that her initial approach wasn’t working, Shamika made a tactical pivot in the second set. She slowed the tempo, focused on precision over power, and forced Scholtz into uncharacteristic errors.
The shift worked perfectly, Shamika mirrored the opening score with a 21-14 win, forcing a high-stakes third set. As the decider began, the physical toll of the tournament became evident.
“I was exhausted,” Shamika said before adding; “But my father kept telling me, ‘one more to go.’”
Driven by those words and a relentless will to win, she pushed through the fatigue. She controlled the final set with clinical execution, winning 21-16 to secure the championship and ignite celebrations across the Ugandan sports fraternity.
After sweeping three gold medals at the All Africa U-19 Championships in Mauritius, she has now proven that she is the undisputed queen of the senior circuit as well.
Her victory isn’t just a personal milestone but also a statement for Ugandan badminton. By taking down the continent’s elite on their own soil, Shamika has set a new standard for what young Ugandan athletes can achieve on the international stage.
The post Fadilah Shamika secures Gold at All Africa Senior Badminton Championships appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
Nigerian para-badminton sensation Mariam Eniola Bolaji has continued her remarkable rise on the global stage after booking a place in the final of the 2026 BWF Para-Badminton World Championships in Manama, Bahrain.
READ ALSO: Motsepe Breaks Silence on 2026 WAFCON Host, Schedule
Bolaji, who is ranked world number two in the women’s SL3 category, delivered another composed and commanding performance in the semifinals, defeating China’s Gaoying Yuan 21–16, 21–12.
The straight-games victory underlined her growing authority at the top level of para-badminton and moved her one step away from a world title.
The championships, running from February 8 to 14, are being staged at the Isa Sports City, where Bolaji has been one of the standout athletes of the tournament.
Her journey to the final has been defined by dominance and consistency.
In the quarterfinals, she swept aside Turkey’s Halime Yildiz 21–6, 21–9, barely giving her opponent room to settle into the contest.
Bolaji’s run in Manama caps an outstanding start to the 2026 season.
Just weeks earlier, she successfully defended her crown at the Egypt Para-Badminton International, once again overpowering Yildiz in the final with a convincing 21–10, 21–4 win.
The results reflect an athlete in peak form, combining tactical intelligence with clinical execution on court.
Already a trailblazer, Bolaji continues to build on her historic legacy.
In 2024, she became the first African athlete to win a Paralympic medal in badminton, claiming bronze at the Paris Paralympic Games.
She enters the world championship final as Africa’s number one player and remains firmly established among the global elite in the SL3 category.
Her impact has also been recognised off the court, having recently received the 2024 Africa Women in Badminton Award for her contributions to the sport.
With the final now in sight, Bolaji will be aiming to crown her impressive campaign in Bahrain with a gold medal, further cementing her status as one of Africa’s most successful para-sport athletes.
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The post 2026 BWF Para-Badminton: Bolaji Breezes Past Yuan, Qualifies For Final in Bahrain appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.
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