Philippines hosts first BWF badminton challenge

MANILA — The Philippines will host a world-class badminton tournament for the first time as the Philippine International Challenge 2026 began with qualifying rounds Tuesday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.

The tournament gives Filipino players a rare home opportunity to earn international ranking points while exposing local fans and developing athletes to higher-level competition.

Its staging could also strengthen the country’s profile as a badminton destination and provide local players with more accessible pathways into the Badminton World Federation rankings.

The International Challenge is classified as a Grade 3, Level 1 event on the BWF Continental Circuit.

It sits alongside the International Series and Future Series.

The tournament awards ranking points that count toward the BWF World Rankings.

“The association sent bids to host these tournaments, a proposal to the BWF through Badminton Asia, to host an International Challenge and an International Junior Series this year,” Philippine Badminton Association Secretary-General Shawntel Nieto said.

The event marks the first time the country will stage a BWF-sanctioned tournament.

“Gratefully, they accepted, and with the support of and with the go-signal from boss MVP [Manny V. Pangilinan], we were able to plan out and bring it to life. So, we’re very excited about that.”

The Philippine International Challenge will run until Aug. 2.

An International Junior Series tournament will follow the next week at the same Mandaluyong venue.

Kazakhstan’s Dimitri Panarin leads the men’s singles field.

Panarin returns to the Philippines after reaching the main draw of the 2022 Badminton Asia Championships.

India’s Manraj Singh and Alap Mishra are also among the top five seeds.

Indonesia’s Christian Adinata and Malaysia’s Jing Hong Kok complete the top five.

On the women’s side, 21-year-old Thai standout Tidaporn Kleebyeesun enters as the top seed.

Fellow Thais Yataweemin Ketklieng and Pornpicha Choeikeewong follow her in the seedings.

Indonesian-born Azerbaijani Keisha Fatimah Azzahra and Malaysia’s Siti Zulaikha are also among the top five seeds.

Clarence Villaflor and four-time national women’s singles champion Mika De Guzman will lead the Philippine contingent.

Both players are ranked World No. 122.

Villaflor and De Guzman enter as top-10 seeds in their respective draws after competing in the recently concluded Philippine National Badminton Open.

Reigning three-time national men’s singles champion Jelo Albo will also carry the local challenge in men’s singles.

Philippine National Badminton Open men’s doubles champions Julius Villabrille and Solomon Padiz Jr. advanced directly to the main draw.

Women’s doubles runners-up Lea Inlayo and Jeya Pinlac also secured direct entry.

Hailene Diaz and Naeomi Gulpany will compete in the women’s doubles Round of 32.

Smash Pilipinas will begin its campaign in the qualifying rounds through Mark Velasco and JR Pandi.

Velasco will face Saudi Arabia’s Mehad Shaikh.

Pandi will take on Australia’s Ken Richardson.

A victory by either Filipino will send him to the main draw alongside Villaflor and Albo.

In mixed doubles qualifying, newly crowned national champions Villabrille and Andrea Princess Hernandez will face Patricia Barredo and Filipino-born Australian Jan Mark Sotea.

The winning pair will earn a main draw berth.

Padiz Jr. and Mary Destiny Untalan will also attempt to qualify.

They will face Vietnam’s Le Minh Son and Mai Thi Thanh Ngan.

Lance Vargas and Carlo Remo will compete in the men’s doubles qualifying draw.

They will battle Laos’ Namboun Luangamath and Phonesack Sookthavy.