KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Seven years after his retirement, national badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei is finally getting a tournament in his name.

The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup 2026 will focus on the next generation of Malaysian shuttlers aged 13, 15, and 17.

The event is a collaboration between the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and local sports consulting agency SportsIntel, with Chinese automaker Chery Malaysia as one of the main sponsors.

“I am quite happy. This is the first year of the tournament, and I hope we can hold it annually and upgrade it year by year,” Chong Wei said.

“I also want to find more talents for BAM, especially now that I have a big responsibility as BAM’s performance chairman.”

The 43-year-old added that hosting a tournament under his name has long been a childhood dream.

He was also motivated by the limited opportunities for youth badminton tournaments in the country.

“If possible, I would love to have more junior tournaments in the future so that young players can prove themselves,” he said.

“It is better for them than just sitting at home playing games, like my children. I would love to see the younger generation take up sports. Another reason is that I want to give back to the country and BAM.”

Chong Wei also noted that senior players already have full schedules with ongoing tournaments, making youth the ideal focus for the event.

SportsIntel managing director Stuart Ramalingam said the Lee Chong Wei Cup 2026 will feature singles and doubles categories, with a mixed category for the 17-year-old age group.

Each category will have 128 slots in the qualifiers, with 32 advancing to the round of 64 before progressing to the finals.

The top 32 from the open qualifiers will also compete against 32 state-based athletes, with the winner taking home a RM100,000 grand prize and an opportunity to train at the Malaysia Badminton Academy.

Dates and registration details will be shared later.

Also present at the launch was BAM chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who highlighted the importance of developing shuttlers from an early age.

“Young players need exposure to proper competition, fair systems, and high standards. This tournament contributes to that ecosystem. Badminton has always been more than just a sport in Malaysia — it brings people together, creates shared moments, and inspires belief,” he said.

Commenting on the upcoming Thomas Cup, Chong Wei said the full national team lineup will be revealed in April.

Women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei has yet to confirm her participation.

Meanwhile, men’s singles player Lee Zii Jia has agreed to join the squad by waiving his image rights payment.

This year’s Thomas Cup will be held in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.