Lee Chong Wei Cup plans international expansion in 2027

Lee, the former world number one and three-time Olympic silver medallist, said the international edition would require sanctioning from Badminton Asia and careful scheduling to avoid clashes with other junior events in the region.

“I have already planned two tournaments for next year, one local and one international,” Lee said after the inaugural event at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara.

“We are looking for a time slot and seeking sanctioning from Badminton Asia. We need to fix the dates carefully because I don’t want to clash with other junior tournaments in Indonesia or elsewhere.”

The nine-day tournament, held from Aug. 29 to Sept. 6, featured Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 competitions across singles and doubles and offered RM104,000 ($24,700) in prize money.

Lee said the response had encouraged him to retain the domestic tournament while adding an international event, with the aim of giving Malaysian juniors exposure to overseas competition.

The tournament also served as a talent-identification platform for the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), with national coaches monitoring players for potential selection trials.

Lee said selection would not be limited to finalists or semi-finalists.

“Even someone who reached the quarter-finals might show talent and get called up,” he said. “Even if they lost early, if we see talent, we might call them for selection to see how they progress in training at BAM.”

The inaugural event was won by Pahang teenager Shahadzryl Suhaime, who claimed both the Under-13 singles and doubles titles after coming through qualifying.

Lee had said before the tournament that his ambition was to build the event annually and upgrade it each year, describing the competition as a way of giving back to Malaysian badminton and creating more opportunities for young players.

The proposed international edition would mark the next stage of that development, subject to approval and a suitable place in the Asian junior calendar.