Petaling Jaya: The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup is set to make its debut with a distinctive gold-plated trophy and RM100,000 in total prize money as the Malaysian badminton legend turns his attention toward developing the country’s next generation of players.
The official trophy for the Lee Chong Wei Cup 2026 was unveiled in Petaling Jaya ahead of the youth badminton tournament, which is scheduled to take place from August 29 to September 6.
Weighing 12.5 kilograms and standing 60 centimeters tall, the handcrafted trophy features an image of Datuk Seri Dr Lee Chong Wei and was designed to reflect the qualities that defined his celebrated career.
Lee Chong Wei Cup Trophy Officially Unveiled
The trophy was created entirely by hand using premium-grade brass, finished with gold plating and mounted on a solid teakwood base.
Its design follows the theme “Journey Towards Excellence & Inspiring Champions”, drawing inspiration from Chong Wei’s career and the values of determination, discipline, humility and resilience.
The curved structure of the trophy represents momentum and endurance, while racket and net motifs symbolize precision, technical ability and focus.
A three-dimensional shuttlecock pointing upward represents the aspirations of young badminton players hoping to reach the highest level of the sport.
Lee Chong Wei Wants to Develop Malaysia’s Next Generation
Chong Wei, the founder of the Lee Chong Wei Cup, said creating the tournament has been a personal dream and an opportunity to contribute to the future of Malaysian badminton.
After spending 19 years with the national team, he wants to use his experience and influence to provide young players with opportunities to develop and compete at a higher level.
“This cup is my dream and also my passion. I want to help develop Malaysia’s younger generation and bring them to a different level.”
Chong Wei said the tournament also represents his way of giving back to the country and the badminton community that supported him throughout his career.
“I spent 19 years with the national team, so I want to give something back and help build the next generation.”
Lee Chong Wei Cup Features Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 Players
The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup will feature three youth age divisions:
- Under-13
- Under-15
- Under-17
Competition will be held across all five major badminton disciplines:
- Men’s singles
- Women’s singles
- Men’s doubles
- Women’s doubles
- Mixed doubles
The format provides young players with opportunities to compete against other promising talents while gaining valuable tournament experience.
RM100,000 Prize Money Offered at Lee Chong Wei Cup
The Lee Chong Wei Cup will offer a total prize purse of RM100,000.
According to the organizers, it is one of the largest prize pools offered at a youth badminton tournament in Malaysia.
While the financial rewards provide additional motivation, Chong Wei’s broader objective is to create a competitive platform capable of identifying and developing players with the potential to progress toward national and international badminton.
Tournament to Use 15-Point Scoring System
Another notable feature of the tournament will be its use of a best-of-three, 15-point scoring format.
The shorter scoring system creates a different competitive challenge compared with the traditional 21-point game because players have less time to recover from a slow start or a poor sequence of rallies.
That places additional importance on concentration, tactical discipline and the ability to adapt quickly during a match.
Lee Chong Wei’s Career Continues to Inspire Young Players
Chong Wei remains one of the most successful players in Malaysian badminton history.
He spent a total of 349 weeks as world No. 1, including an extraordinary stretch of 199 consecutive weeks between 2008 and 2012.
He also won three Olympic silver medals and accumulated 69 BWF titles during a career that made him one of the most recognizable badminton players in the world.
The Lee Chong Wei Cup now gives him another opportunity to influence Malaysian badminton, this time by helping young players take their first steps toward elite competition.
Lee Chong Wei Cup 2026 Tournament Details
- Tournament: Lee Chong Wei Cup 2026
- Dates: August 29 to September 6, 2026
- Age categories: Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17
- Events: Men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles
- Total prize money: RM100,000
- Scoring format: Best of three games to 15 points
- Founder: Datuk Seri Dr Lee Chong Wei
Lee Chong Wei Also Plans Review of BAM Coaching Structure
During the Lee Chong Wei Cup trophy launch, Chong Wei also provided an update on the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s coaching structure.
As chairman of BAM’s Performance Committee, he said the association intends to review and reorganize its coaching setup after the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games rather than rushing into immediate changes.
The review comes as BAM considers its next move following the departure of former national mixed doubles head coach Nova Widianto, who has returned to Indonesia.
Chong Wei stressed that the restructuring will not focus solely on replacing Nova.
Instead, BAM plans to evaluate the overall coaching framework, including the roles and responsibilities of head coaches and assistant coaches across the national program.
He said he will work with the Performance Committee as well as coaching directors Rexy Mainaky and Kenneth Jonassen before determining the appropriate structure.
“Give me a little more time. I want to reorganize the entire coaching team. I don’t think it will happen now, probably after the Asian Games.”
Rexy Mainaky to Assist Mixed Doubles Program
For the immediate future, Rexy Mainaky will provide assistance to Malaysia’s mixed doubles department following Nova’s departure.
BAM will continue evaluating potential candidates before deciding on a permanent replacement.
Chong Wei indicated that the association would prefer to make a carefully considered long-term appointment rather than simply filling the vacancy as quickly as possible.
Lee Chong Wei Cup Creates New Pathway for Malaysian Badminton
The introduction of the Lee Chong Wei Cup adds another development platform to Malaysian badminton at a time when identifying and nurturing younger talent remains a major priority.
Combining youth competition, significant prize money and a tournament carrying the name of one of Malaysia’s greatest athletes gives the event the potential to become an important fixture on the country’s junior badminton calendar.
For Chong Wei, the tournament represents more than another badminton competition. It is an opportunity to pass on the determination, discipline and competitive mentality that shaped his own career to a new generation.
When the inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup begins on August 29, attention will naturally focus on who wins the distinctive gold-plated trophy. But the larger goal will be identifying and inspiring young players who could one day become the next major names in Malaysian badminton.
