All England Open 2026: Day 1 Schedule and Key Matchups
The prestigious Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2026 officially kicks off today, March 3rd, at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. With a massive prize pool of USD 1,450,000, the world’s elite have descended upon England for the first Super 1000 event of the season.
The Round of 32 (Day 1) features a packed schedule across four courts, starting at 10:00 AM local time. Here is everything you need to know about the opening day’s action.
Marquee Matchups to Watch
Day 1 isn’t easing anyone in; several “Group of Death” style opening matches are set to ignite the arena:
- Men’s Singles: World No. 1 Shi Yuqi faces a massive early test against India’s Lakshya Sen (Court 1, Match 3).
- Men’s Doubles: The top-seeded Korean duo Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae take on local heroes Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, who will have the Birmingham crowd firmly behind them (Court 1, Match 6).
- Women’s Singles: Defending champion An Se-young begins her campaign on Court 2 against Natsuki Nidaira.
- Men’s Singles Thriller: A high-octane clash between Anders Antonsen (3) and Koki Watanabe is expected to close out the evening session on the main court.
Full Schedule (March 3, 2026)
Court 1
| Match | Time | Event | Round | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:00 AM | XD | R32 | FENG Yan Zhe / HUANG Dong Ping (CHN) vs HEE Yong Kai Terry (SGP) / Gloria Emanuelle WIDJAJA (INA) |
| 2 | Est. 10:50 AM | WS | R32 | Michelle LI (CAN) vs GAO Fang Jie (CHN) |
| 3 | Est. 11:40 AM | MS | R32 | SHI Yu Qi (CHN) vs Lakshya SEN (IND) |
| 4 | Est. 12:30 PM | WD | R32 | JIA Yi Fan / ZHANG Shu Xian (CHN) vs Rachel Allessya ROSE / Febi SETIANINGRUM (INA) |
| 5 | Est. 1:20 PM | MS | R32 | LEE Cheuk Yiu (HKG) vs WENG Hong Yang (CHN) |
| 6 | Est. 2:10 PM | MD | R32 | KIM Won Ho / SEO Seung Jae (KOR) vs Ben LANE / Sean VENDY (ENG) |
| 7 | Est. 3:00 PM | MD | R32 | Fajar ALFIAN / Muhammad Shohibul FIKRI (INA) vs ONG Yew Sin / TEO Ee Yi (MAS) |
| 8 | Est. 3:50 PM | WS | R32 | Pornpawee CHOCHUWONG (THA) vs Unnati HOODA (IND) |
| 9 | Est. 4:40 PM | XD | R32 | Mathias CHRISTIANSEN / Alexandra BØJE (DEN) vs YANG Po-Hsuan / HU Ling Fang (TPE) |
| 10 | Est. 5:30 PM | MS | R32 | Anders ANTONSEN (DEN) vs Koki WATANABE (JPN) |
Court 2
| Match | Time | Event | Round | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10:00 AM | MD | R32 | Leo Rolly CARNANDO / Bagas MAULANA (INA) vs LEE Jhe-Huei / YANG Po-Hsuan (TPE) |
| 2 | Est. 10:50 AM | MS | R32 | NG Ka Long Angus (HKG) vs Brian YANG (CAN) |
| 3 | Est. 11:40 AM | XD | R32 | YE Hong Wei / Nicole Gonzales CHAN (TPE) vs Jimmy WONG / LAI Pei Jing (MAS) |
| 4 | Est. 12:30 PM | WS | R32 | AN Se Young (KOR) vs Neslihan ARIN (TUR) |
| 5 | Not Before 1:30 PM | MS | R32 | Alex LANIER (FRA) vs Victor LAI (CAN) |
| 6 | Est. 2:20 PM | XD | R32 | CHEN Tang Jie / TOH Ee Wei (MAS) vs Rasmus ESPERSEN / Amalie Cecilie KUDSK (DEN) |
| 7 | Est. 3:10 PM | WS | R32 | Putri Kusuma WARDANI (INA) vs Mia BLICHFELDT (DEN) |
| 8 | Est. 4:00 PM | MD | R32 | CHOONG Hon Jian / Muhammad HAIKAL (MAS) vs Kim ASTRUP / Anders Skaarup RASMUSSEN (DEN) |
| 9 | Est. 4:50 PM | MD | R32 | LIANG Wei Keng / WANG Chang (CHN) vs Takumi NOMURA / Yuichi SHIMOGAMI (JPN) |
Venue & Atmosphere
The Utilita Arena Birmingham remains the historic home of the All England. Fans can expect a “cathedral of badminton” atmosphere, especially during the Match 6 slot on Court 1 when the English pair Lane/Vendy takes the floor.
Pro Tip: Match timings after the 10:00 AM openers are estimates. Matches follow one another (“Followed By”), so if you’re tracking a specific player, stay tuned to the live score at least 45 minutes before their estimated time.
How to Follow
- Live Scores: Available via the BWF Match Centre.
- Streaming: Check your local sports networks or the BWF TV YouTube channel (subject to regional restrictions).
