BWF World Tour Finals 2025: Predictions and what to expect
The BWF World Tour Finals 2025 gathered the top eight shuttlers for the annual season finale.
These eight top male and female singles shuttlers and pairs gather at the Hangzhou Sports Centre Gymnasium in China for the ultimate prize.
This elite year-end event unfolds from December 17 to 21, 2025.
Expect fierce round-robin battles leading into knockout rounds as the world’s best vie for a piece of the USD3 million prize pool.
Ultimately, the finals are a perfect platform for badminton’s elite as the 2025 season comes to a close.
BWF World Tour Finals 2025 continues yearly tradition that began in 2018
BWF World Tour Finals 2025 continues a tradition started in 2018.
Guangzhou became the pioneer host of the annual showcase in 2018, where Chinese shuttlers ruled the men’s singles and doubles divisions.
Shi Yu Qi was the first winner in the men’s singles division, while Li Junhi and Liu Yuchen ruled the men’s doubles.
Shi is also the 2024 champion, aiming to defend his title against a strong field.
Also, Thailand (Bangkok) and Indonesia (Bali) were the only other countries aside from China to host the BWF World Tour Finals.
Kunlavut seeks to cap world No.1 ranking with BWF World Tour Finals reign
Kunlavut Vitidsarn will try to dethrone Shi and claim his first BWF World Tour Finals title.
The 24-year-old Thai shuttler is currently ranked No.1 in the BWF rankings, and a win will be the icing on his year-long brilliance.
However, the rest of the field poses a major challenge, with each having its own title aspirations.
Shi will be joined by fellow Chinese shuttler Li Shi Feng, currently ranked No.2, among the top eight.
Meanwhile, No.3 Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, No.4 Anders Antonsen of Denmark, and No.5 Christo Popov of France are considered darkhorses in the event.
Rounding out the rest of the eight-player field are No.6 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia and No.8 Kodai Naraoka of Japan.
Hosts also seek top prize through Wang Zhi Yi in BWF World Tour women’s singles
China isn’t just strong in men’s singles; the hosts also target the women’s top prize. Wang Zhi Yi is out to defend her title in the women’s singles category against top-notch opposition.
She will be challenged by current No.1 An Se-young, the 2021 champion and a familiar presence at this tournament.
Another former champion returning is Japanese No. 4 Akane Yamaguchi, who won this event in 2022.
On the other hand, other contenders in the field are Chinese shuttlers No.3 Han Yue and No.5 Chen Yu Fei, along with Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani.
Finally, Thailand’s own star duo in Pornpawee Chochuwong (No.7) and Ratchanok Intanon (No.7) round out the cast.
Expect new champs in men’s doubles as Danish duo won’t defend crown
The BWF World Tour Finals 2025 live would not be the same without the men’s doubles event.
Expect a new men’s doubles champion in 2025. Danish duo Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen won’t defend their title. Instead.
Look out for the South Korean No.1 duo Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae to seek their first year-end trophy.
They will be challenged by Malaysian No.2 Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, and India’s No.3 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
See also:
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- Mastering the game: Essential badminton terms every player should know
- 11 Richest Badminton Players in the world
Malaysian, South Korean women’s duos favored in women’s doubles
Malaysia and South Korea dominate doubles, just as China has multiple men’s and women’s singles stars.
Baek Ha Na and Lee So-hee are South Korea’s defending champions and the No.7 seeds.
They might be replaced as the top duo in their country by No.2 seeds Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong.
On the other hand, Malaysia will bank on their top seeds, Tan Pearly and Thinaah Muralitharan, to secure their first year-end title.
However, the hosts will not be lacking in presence here, with the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds Liu Sheng Shu, Tan Ning, Jia Yi Fan, and Zhang Shu Xian, respectively.
China seeks to keep mixed doubles title even as defending champs are out
China remains hopeful of retaining its hold on the mixed doubles title in 2025.
This, despite defending champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong not being around this year.
The hosts rely on world No.2 Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping to keep the crown at home.
Thailand’s No.1 pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran chase their first World Tour Finals crown.
Malaysia is fielding the No.3 pair, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, to snatch the title away from the favourites.
BWF World Tour Finals through the years
| Year | Host City | Men’s Singles | Women’s Singles | Men’s Doubles | Women’s Doubles | Mixed Doubles |
| 2018 | Guangzhou | Shi Yu Qi | P.V. Sindhu | Li Junhui/ Liu Yuchen | Misaki Matsusomo/ Ayaka Takahashi | Wang Yilyu/ Huang Dongping |
| 2019 | Guangzhou | Kento Momota | Chen Yufei | Mohammad Assan/ Hendra Setiawan | Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong | |
| 2020 | Bangkok | Anders Antonsen | Tai Tzu-ying | Lee Yang/ Wang Chi-lin | Lee So-hee/ Shin Seung-chan | Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai |
| 2021 | Bali | Viktor Axelsen | An Se-young | Takuro Hoki/ Yugo Kobayashi | Kin So-yeong/ Kong Hee-yong | Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai |
| 2022 | Bangkok | Viktor Axelsen | Akane Yamaguchi | Li Yuchen/ Ou Xuanyi | Chen Qingchen/ Jia Yifan | Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai |
| 2023 | Hangzhou | Viktor Axelsen | Tai Tzu-ying | Kang min-hyuk/ Seo Seung=jae | Chen Qingchen/ Jia Yifan | Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaquiong |
| 2024 | Hangzhou | Shi Yu Qi | Wang Zhi Yi | Kim Astrup Skaarup/ Rasmussen | Baek Ha-Na/ Lee So-Hee | Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaquiong |
BWF World Tour Finals to miss former champions Sindhu, Axelsen
The year-end BWF World Tour will miss a few former champions. This starts with Viktor Axelsen, a Danish former world No. 1 who holds the most men’s singles titles with three.
Among the women, a notable absence would be India’s top women’s singles shuttler, P.V. Sindhu, who won the title in 2018.
Additionally, China’s Chen Yu Fei, the 2019 winner, is not around either.
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BWF World Tour Finals 2025 could see familiar faces, new champions
Expect both familiar faces and new champions after the finals. The BWF World Tour Finals 2025 could see Shi run back-to-back titles, but a Kunlavut victory is not far-fetched.
China could repeat doubles titles if Shi and Wang prevail.
The men’s doubles title may be won by South Korean, Malaysian, or Indian pairs.
A three-way fight among Malaysian, South Korean, and Chinese pairs looms in women’s doubles.
The mixed doubles event will name a first-time champion.
Ultimately, fans should be the biggest winners in this year-end event from the BWF World Tour.
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