Hong Kong Open 2026 Draw Preview: Top Seeds, First-Round Matches & Potential Clashes
The Hong Kong Open 2026 draw has been released, setting up several exciting first-round encounters as some of the world’s leading badminton players prepare to compete in Hong Kong from November 17 to 22, 2026.
Officially known as the LI-NING Hong Kong Open 2026, the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament will take place at Kai Tak Arena for the first time, bringing top international players together across five disciplines: men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
The draw features Christo Popov and Kunlavut Vitidsarn as the top two men’s singles seeds, while defending women’s singles champion Wang Zhiyi leads her discipline. In men’s doubles, Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri face a challenging opening match against French brothers Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov.
Meanwhile, several defending champions will return to Hong Kong, including Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in men’s doubles and Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in mixed doubles.
Here is a closer look at the Hong Kong Open 2026 draw, including the top seeds, notable first-round matches, possible quarterfinal encounters, and qualifying rounds.
- Hong Kong Open 2026 Tournament Information
- Men’s Singles Draw: Christo Popov and Kunlavut Vitidsarn Lead the Field
- Women’s Singles Draw: Wang Zhiyi Begins Title Defence
- Men’s Doubles Draw: Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri Face Popov Brothers
- Women’s Doubles Draw: Top Seeds Face Tough Opening Test
- Mixed Doubles Draw: Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping Lead Strong Field
- Hong Kong Open 2026 Qualifying Draw
- Hong Kong Open Defending Champions
- First-Round Matches to Watch
- What to Expect from the Hong Kong Open 2026
Hong Kong Open 2026 Tournament Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | LI-NING Hong Kong Open 2026 |
| Dates | November 17–22, 2026 |
| Venue | Kai Tak Arena |
| Location | Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| Category | BWF World Tour Super 500 |
| Total Prize Money | US$500,000 |
| Events | MS, WS, MD, WD, XD |
| Organizer | Badminton Association of Hong Kong, China |
| Official Website | hkopenbadminton.org |
The tournament will feature 32 main-draw entries in each discipline, with additional players and pairs competing for places through qualifying.
Men’s Singles Draw: Christo Popov and Kunlavut Vitidsarn Lead the Field
France’s Christo Popov enters the Hong Kong Open as the men’s singles top seed, while Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn occupies the opposite end of the draw as the second seed.
Denmark’s Anders Antonsen is seeded third, followed by Canada’s Victor Lai, Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen, Japan’s Kodai Naraoka, Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan, and Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew.
Christo Popov Faces a Qualifier in the Opening Round
Christo Popov will begin his campaign against a qualifier, giving him a potentially manageable opening match before the competition becomes more demanding.
However, sixth seed Kodai Naraoka is positioned in the same quarter of the draw and could meet Popov in the quarterfinals if both players advance.
Third seed Anders Antonsen will face Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu-jen in the first round. Antonsen is also in the top half, where eighth seed Loh Kean Yew starts against France’s Arnaud Merklé.
A quarterfinal between Antonsen and Loh is possible, with the winner potentially meeting Popov in the semifinals.
Alwi Farhan Faces Kidambi Srikanth
One of the most interesting first-round matches features Alwi Farhan (7) against India’s Kidambi Srikanth.
The Indonesian youngster will face an experienced opponent in a match that could test his ability to handle pressure against established international players.
If Alwi advances through his section, he could eventually face second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the quarterfinals.
Kunlavut will begin against a qualifier, while another notable contest in his section sees India’s Lakshya Sen face Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.
Victor Lai Faces Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah
Fourth seed Victor Lai will meet Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah in another intriguing opening encounter.
The Canadian enters as the seeded player, but Ubaidillah has an opportunity to produce an upset.
Fifth seed Chou Tien-chen, who opens against Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen, is another major contender in this quarter of the draw.
Potential Men’s Singles Quarterfinals
If the seeded players progress according to their positions, the following matches are possible:
| Potential Quarterfinal | Seedings |
|---|---|
| Christo Popov vs Kodai Naraoka | 1 vs 6 |
| Anders Antonsen vs Loh Kean Yew | 3 vs 8 |
| Chou Tien-chen vs Victor Lai | 5 vs 4 |
| Alwi Farhan vs Kunlavut Vitidsarn | 7 vs 2 |
Other first-round matches worth watching include Leong Jun Hao against Lin Chun-yi and Ng Ka Long Angus against Singapore’s Teh Jia Heng.
Defending champion Li Shifeng does not appear in the published main draw.
Women’s Singles Draw: Wang Zhiyi Begins Title Defence
China’s Wang Zhiyi leads the women’s singles field as the top seed and defending Hong Kong Open champion.
The Chinese star won the 2025 title by defeating compatriot Han Yue in the final. She will now attempt to retain her crown at the tournament’s new venue.
Wang begins her 2026 campaign against Japan’s Hina Akechi.
Second seed Chen Yufei, also representing China, will face Denmark’s Amalie Schulz in the opening round.
Putri Kusuma Wardani Faces Karupathevan Letshanaa
Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani, seeded sixth, will begin against Malaysia’s Karupathevan Letshanaa.
Wardani is positioned in the same quarter as Wang Zhiyi, creating the possibility of a meeting between the two players in the last eight.
However, both must navigate their earlier matches before that encounter can happen.
Tomoka Miyazaki and Nozomi Okuhara in the Same Quarter
Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki is the fourth seed and will face India’s Anmol Kharb in the first round.
Seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara starts against a qualifier in the same quarter.
The draw therefore creates the possibility of an all-Japanese quarterfinal between Miyazaki and Okuhara.
Ratchanok Intanon and Han Yue Could Meet
Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon enters as the third seed and will face a qualifier in her opening match.
China’s Han Yue, seeded eighth and the 2025 runner-up, begins against India’s Unnati Hooda.
Both players occupy the same quarter of the draw, setting up a possible meeting in the last eight.
Elsewhere, fifth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong will face Denmark’s Line Kjærsfeldt, while Mia Blichfeldt meets India’s Rakshitha Ramraj.
Potential Women’s Singles Quarterfinals
| Potential Quarterfinal | Seedings |
|---|---|
| Wang Zhiyi vs Putri Kusuma Wardani | 1 vs 6 |
| Tomoka Miyazaki vs Nozomi Okuhara | 4 vs 7 |
| Han Yue vs Ratchanok Intanon | 8 vs 3 |
| Pornpawee Chochuwong vs Chen Yufei | 5 vs 2 |
The women’s singles competition also includes Michelle Li, Natsuki Nidaira, Ashmita Chaliha, and several players attempting to advance from qualifying.
Men’s Doubles Draw: Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri Face Popov Brothers
The men’s doubles draw promises several high-profile encounters from the opening round.
Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri are the top seeds, while defending champions Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China are seeded second.
Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik occupy the third-seeded position, with compatriots Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin seeded fourth.
Fajar/Fikri vs Christo Popov/Toma Junior Popov
Arguably the biggest opening-round match in men’s doubles pits top seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri against France’s Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov.
Although the Indonesians carry the top seeding, the French brothers are capable of challenging established doubles partnerships.
The match will also be particularly demanding for Christo Popov, who is competing in both men’s singles and men’s doubles.
Should Fajar and Fikri advance, eighth seeds Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun could await in the quarterfinals.
Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik and Rankireddy/Shetty on Collision Course
Third seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik will open against Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan.
Meanwhile, India’s fifth-seeded pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face China’s Hu Keyuan and Lin Xiangyi.
The Malaysian and Indian pairs are in the same quarter, creating the possibility of a highly competitive quarterfinal.
Sabar Gutama and Reza Isfahani Face Japanese Veterans
Indonesia’s sixth-seeded partnership of Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani will meet Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.
Another notable encounter features Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin against fourth seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.
Both matches could significantly influence the lower half of the draw.
Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang Begin Title Defence
Defending champions Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang will start against Japan’s Hiroki Okamura and Kyohei Yamashita.
The Chinese pair are seeded second and could face seventh seeds Ben Lane and Sean Vendy in the quarterfinals.
Other noteworthy opening matches include Raymond Indra and Nikolaus Joaquin against Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, as well as He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu against Ali Faathir Rayhan and Devin Artha Wahyudi.
Potential Men’s Doubles Quarterfinals
| Potential Quarterfinal | Seedings |
|---|---|
| Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri vs Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun | 1 vs 8 |
| Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik vs Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty | 3 vs 5 |
| Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani vs Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin | 6 vs 4 |
| Ben Lane/Sean Vendy vs Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang | 7 vs 2 |
Women’s Doubles Draw: Top Seeds Face Tough Opening Test
Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto enter the women’s doubles competition as the top seeds.
Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan are seeded second, followed by Japan’s Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi in third place.
Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Yin-hui and Lin Jhih-yun complete the top four seeds.
Fukushima/Matsumoto vs Jia Yifan/Zhang Chi
The top seeds face a particularly challenging opening match against China’s Jia Yifan and Zhang Chi.
Jia Yifan won the 2025 Hong Kong Open women’s doubles title alongside Zhang Shuxian, but will compete with a different partner this year.
The Japanese pair therefore face one of the tournament’s defending champions immediately.
The winner could become an important contender in a quarter that also features Indonesia’s fifth seeds Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti.
Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan Begin Against Chinese Pair
Second seeds Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan will open against China’s Chen Fan Shu Tian and Luo Xu Min.
The Malaysian pair are positioned in the same quarter as Indonesia’s seventh-seeded combination of Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspita Sari.
A meeting between the two seeded partnerships could take place in the quarterfinals.
Japanese and Bulgarian Pairs Could Meet
Third seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi will face a qualifying pair in the first round.
Sixth seeds Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva start against Japan’s Nanako Hara and Riko Kiyose.
Both seeded partnerships occupy the same quarter of the draw.
Meanwhile, eighth seeds Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara will begin against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Yan-fei and Liang Ching-sun.
Fourth seeds Hsu Yin-hui and Lin Jhih-yun are potential quarterfinal opponents for the Japanese pair.
Potential Women’s Doubles Quarterfinals
| Potential Quarterfinal | Seedings |
|---|---|
| Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto vs Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti | 1 vs 5 |
| Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi vs Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva | 3 vs 6 |
| Rui Hirokami/Sayaka Hobara vs Hsu Yin-hui/Lin Jhih-yun | 8 vs 4 |
| Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma/Meilysa Trias Puspita Sari vs Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan | 7 vs 2 |
The first round will also feature an all-Hong Kong encounter between Lui Lok Lok/Tsang Hiu Yan and Yeung Nga Ting/Yeung Pui Lam.
Mixed Doubles Draw: Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping Lead Strong Field
China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping are the top seeds and defending champions in mixed doubles.
Compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin are seeded second, while Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran are seeded third.
Fourth seeds Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui, who finished runners-up in Hong Kong last year, are also among the leading contenders.
Feng/Huang Begin Title Defence
Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping will face Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang-heng and Hsu Yin-hui in the opening round.
The Chinese pair are positioned in the same quarter as Indonesia’s seventh seeds Amri Syahnawi and Nita Violina Marwah, who will begin against qualifiers.
A meeting between the two seeded pairs is possible in the quarterfinals.
Dejan Ferdinansyah/Felisha Pasaribu Face Third Seeds
One of the most interesting first-round encounters will see Indonesia’s Dejan Ferdinansyah and Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu take on Thailand’s third seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran.
The Indonesians face a difficult assignment against one of the highest-seeded partnerships in the tournament.
Another intriguing contest features Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi, the sixth seeds, against Spain’s Rubén García and Lucía Rodríguez.
Cheng and Zhang could meet Dechapol and Supissara in the quarterfinals if both partnerships progress.
Malaysian Pairs Meet in the First Round
Malaysia will have an all-national encounter as Chen Tang Jie and Chan Wen Tse face Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie.
Both pairs will be seeking a place in the second round, but only one can progress.
Elsewhere, fourth seeds Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui will face qualifiers, while fifth seeds Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan start against the United States’ Chen Zhi Yi and Francesca Corbett.
Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin Lead Bottom Section
Second seeds Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin will open against India’s Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K.
Eighth seeds Yang Po-hsuan and Hu Ling-fang are positioned in the same quarter, beginning their campaign against China’s Gao Jiaxuan and Wu Mengying.
A potential quarterfinal between the Chinese second seeds and the Chinese Taipei eighth seeds could be a major contest in the lower section.
Potential Mixed Doubles Quarterfinals
| Potential Quarterfinal | Seedings |
|---|---|
| Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping vs Amri Syahnawi/Nita Violina Marwah | 1 vs 7 |
| Guo Xinwa/Chen Fanghui vs Ye Hong-wei/Nicole Gonzales Chan | 4 vs 5 |
| Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi vs Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran | 6 vs 3 |
| Yang Po-hsuan/Hu Ling-fang vs Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin | 8 vs 2 |
Hong Kong Open 2026 Qualifying Draw
Qualifying matches will determine the remaining participants in the five main draws.
Four places are available through qualifying in each discipline.
Men’s Singles Qualifying
China’s Hu Zhe An is the top qualifying seed and will face Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei in the opening round.
Third seed Wang Tzu-wei meets Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen, while Malaysia’s Justin Hoh faces Lee Chia-hao of Chinese Taipei.
Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf will also attempt to reach the main draw, beginning against China’s Dong Tianyao.
Women’s Singles Qualifying
China’s Xu Wenjing will face South Korea’s Kim Min-sun, while Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei meets Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu-po.
Hong Kong’s Lo Sin Yan Happy will face Japan’s Manami Suizu in another qualifying match.
Doubles Qualifying
The men’s doubles qualifying field includes Denmark’s Christian Faust Kjær/Rasmus Kjær and South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk/Lee Jong-min.
In women’s doubles, notable qualifying pairs include South Korea’s Kim Hye-jeong/Lee Yeon-woo and England’s Abbygael Harris/Estelle van Leeuwen.
The mixed doubles qualifiers feature Hong Kong’s Yu Zhirui Jerry/Tse Ying Suet, Thailand’s Supak Jomkoh/Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat, and India’s Dhruv Kapila/Radhika Sharma.
The four successful qualifiers in each discipline will complete their respective main draws.
Hong Kong Open Defending Champions
The 2025 Hong Kong Open was dominated by Chinese players, who won all five titles.
Several champions are returning in 2026, although not all will compete with the same partners.
| Event | 2025 Champions | 2026 Draw Status |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Singles | Li Shifeng | Not in published draw |
| Women’s Singles | Wang Zhiyi | Top seed |
| Men’s Doubles | Liang Weikeng / Wang Chang | Second seeds |
| Women’s Doubles | Jia Yifan / Zhang Shuxian | Jia Yifan enters with Zhang Chi |
| Mixed Doubles | Feng Yanzhe / Huang Dongping | Top seeds |
Wang Zhiyi and Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping enter the tournament with opportunities to win consecutive Hong Kong Open titles.
Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang will also attempt to retain their men’s doubles crown.
In women’s doubles, Jia Yifan remains in contention, but her new partnership with Zhang Chi means the defending championship-winning combination will not reunite.
First-Round Matches to Watch
Based on the official draw, several opening-round matches stand out as particularly interesting.
| Event | First-Round Match |
|---|---|
| MS | Alwi Farhan (7) vs Kidambi Srikanth |
| MS | Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah vs Victor Lai (4) |
| MS | Lakshya Sen vs Lee Cheuk Yiu |
| WS | Putri Kusuma Wardani (6) vs Karupathevan Letshanaa |
| WS | Tomoka Miyazaki (4) vs Anmol Kharb |
| MD | Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (1) vs Christo Popov/Toma Junior Popov |
| MD | Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi vs Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (6) |
| MD | Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin vs Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin (4) |
| WD | Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (1) vs Jia Yifan/Zhang Chi |
| WD | Chen Fan Shu Tian/Luo Xu Min vs Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan (2) |
| XD | Dejan Ferdinansyah/Felisha Alberta Nathaniel Pasaribu vs Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran (3) |
| XD | Chen Tang Jie/Chan Wen Tse vs Goh Soon Huat/Lai Shevon Jemie |
These encounters could influence the tournament’s progress from the opening stages, particularly in the doubles disciplines, where several leading partnerships face difficult opponents.
What to Expect from the Hong Kong Open 2026
The Hong Kong Open 2026 promises competitive badminton across all five disciplines.
The men’s singles competition is led by Christo Popov and Kunlavut Vitidsarn, but players such as Anders Antonsen, Loh Kean Yew, Chou Tien-chen, and Alwi Farhan could challenge the leading seeds.
In women’s singles, Wang Zhiyi and Chen Yufei are among the leading contenders, with Ratchanok Intanon, Han Yue, and Putri Kusuma Wardani also capable of making deep runs.
The doubles draws appear especially competitive, with several seeded pairs facing challenging opening matches and potential clashes between established partnerships in the later rounds.
With a new venue at Kai Tak Arena, defending champions attempting to retain their titles, and emerging players looking to cause upsets, the tournament provides plenty of interesting storylines.
The Hong Kong Open 2026 begins on November 17, with the five championship finals scheduled for Sunday, November 22.
Fans can follow the latest tournament information through the official Hong Kong Open website and the BWF World Tour tournament page.
Draw information is based on the tournament draw published on November 10, 2026. Qualifying positions and matchups are subject to updates, withdrawals, and changes by tournament organizers.
