Paris, France, October 27, 2026: France’s Christo Popov has officially become the world’s No. 1 men’s singles badminton player for the first time, following his historic French Open triumph, while South Korea’s An Se Young continues to dominate the women’s singles rankings.
The latest BWF world rankings, released Tuesday, confirmed that Popov climbed two places to No. 1 with 89,932 points, overtaking Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn (89,465) and Denmark’s Anders Antonsen (85,155).
Popov’s achievement makes him the first French player to reach world No. 1 in men’s singles, marking another milestone for French badminton.
Christo Popov Becomes World No. 1 After Historic French Open Victory
The 24-year-old Frenchman secured the top ranking after defeating Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah 21-11, 14-21, 21-13 in Sunday’s French Open men’s singles final.
His victory also ended an 80-year wait for a French men’s singles champion at the tournament. Henri Pellizza was the last Frenchman to win the French Open men’s singles title, in 1946.
Popov’s rise highlights France’s growing influence in international badminton. His compatriot Alex Lanier also climbed one position to world No. 4 with 83,665 points, giving France two players among the world’s top four.
Lanier, the reigning world champion, won the Denmark Open earlier this month before reaching the French Open semifinals.
France now holds two of the top four positions in men’s singles, an achievement that reflects the country’s recent progress at the highest level.
An Se Young Maintains Commanding Lead in Women’s Singles
South Korea’s An Se Young remains firmly established as the women’s singles world No. 1 with 122,287 ranking points, following her latest French Open championship.
An defeated India’s P. V. Sindhu 16-21, 21-11, 21-12 in Sunday’s final, securing her 10th title of 2026 and extending her winning streak to 50 matches.
Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi remains second with 103,726 points, followed by China’s Wang Zhi Yi (101,389) and Chen Yu Fei (87,351).
Sindhu’s runner-up finish in Paris helped her climb three positions to world No. 8 with 70,261 points.
An holds an 18,561-point advantage over Yamaguchi, reflecting her remarkable consistency throughout the season.
Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun Climb to World No. 8
Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun moved up one position to world No. 8 in men’s doubles following their French Open championship victory.
The Malaysians now have 67,263 ranking points after defeating compatriots Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin 13-21, 21-15, 21-7 in Sunday’s all-Malaysian final.
Goh and Izzuddin remain world No. 5 with 80,917 points, while Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik hold fourth place with 87,504 points.
South Korea’s Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae continue to lead the men’s doubles rankings with 111,499 points.
Malaysia therefore has three men’s doubles combinations inside the world’s top eight, highlighting the country’s depth in the discipline.
Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan Remain World No. 4
Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan retain fourth place in the women’s doubles rankings with 87,250 points.
The Malaysian pair finished runners-up at the French Open after winning the Denmark Open the previous weekend.
China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning remain world No. 1 with 114,167 points, followed by South Korea’s Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee (100,434).
Japan’s French Open champions Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto occupy third place with 95,906 points.
Indonesia’s Rachel Allessya Rose and Febi Setianingrum climbed one position to sixth after reaching the French Open semifinals.
Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping Lead Mixed Doubles Rankings
China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping continue to lead the mixed doubles world rankings with 109,950 points after winning the French Open title.
The Chinese pair defeated Malaysia’s Hoo Pang Ron and Lai Pei Jing 21-10, 21-13 in Sunday’s final.
China’s Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin remain second with 93,600 points, while France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue climbed one position to third with 87,850 points.
Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje dropped one position to fourth.
Indonesia’s Amri Syahnawi and Nita Violina Marwah recorded one of the biggest improvements inside the top 10, climbing three places to ninth.
Complete BWF World Rankings – October 27, 2026
Men’s Singles – Top 10
1. Christo Popov (France) – 89,932 points (+2)
2. Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand) – 89,465 (-1)
3. Anders Antonsen (Denmark) – 85,155 (-1)
4. Alex Lanier (France) – 83,665 (+1)
5. Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei) – 82,230 (-1)
6. Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) – 80,031
7. Victor Lai (Canada) – 79,845
8. Shi Yu Qi (China) – 79,525
9. Kodai Naraoka (Japan) – 78,740
10. Alwi Farhan (Indonesia) – 73,699
Women’s Singles – Top 10
1. An Se Young (South Korea) – 122,287 points
2. Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) – 103,726
3. Wang Zhi Yi (China) – 101,389
4. Chen Yu Fei (China) – 87,351
5. Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) – 77,546
6. Putri Kusuma Wardani (Indonesia) – 71,653
7. Tomoka Miyazaki (Japan) – 71,406
8. P. V. Sindhu (India) – 70,261 (+3)
9. Nozomi Okuhara (Japan) – 68,930
10. Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand) – 68,897 (-2)
Men’s Doubles – Top 10
1. Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae (South Korea) – 111,499 points
2. Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (Indonesia) – 95,153
3. Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang (China) – 95,089
4. Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (Malaysia) – 87,504
5. Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia) – 80,917
6. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (India) – 74,831
7. Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (Indonesia) – 71,746
8. Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia) – 67,263 (+1)
9. Ben Lane/Sean Vendy (England) – 64,041 (-1)
10. Kang Min Hyuk/Ki Dong Ju (South Korea) – 63,153 (-1)
Women’s Doubles – Top 10
1. Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning (China) – 114,167 points
2. Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee (South Korea) – 100,434
3. Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) – 95,906
4. Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan (Malaysia) – 87,250
5. Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi (Japan) – 74,414
6. Rachel Allessya Rose/Febi Setianingrum (Indonesia) – 66,056 (+1)
7. Hsu Yin-Hui/Lin Jhih Yun (Chinese Taipei) – 65,944 (-1)
8. Gabriela Stoeva/Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria) – 61,176 (+1)
9. Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma/Meilysa Trias Puspitasari (Indonesia) – 60,534 (-1)
10. Hsieh Pei Shan/Hung En-Tzu (Chinese Taipei) – 59,515 (+1)
Mixed Doubles – Top 10
1. Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (China) – 109,950 points
2. Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin (China) – 93,600
3. Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue (France) – 87,850 (+1)
4. Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Bøje (Denmark) – 87,620 (-1)
5. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran (Thailand) – 81,570
6. Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui (China) – 79,670
7. Ye Hong Wei/Nicole Gonzales Chan (Chinese Taipei) – 68,010
8. Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi (China) – 65,840
9. Amri Syahnawi/Nita Violina Marwah (Indonesia) – 60,200 (+3)
10. Yang Po-Hsuan/Hu Ling Fang (Chinese Taipei) – 59,310 (+1)
Complete Tournament Results
2026 French Open – Men’s Singles Final
Christo Popov (France) defeated Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah (Indonesia), 21-11, 14-21, 21-13.
2026 French Open – Women’s Singles Final
An Se Young (South Korea) defeated P. V. Sindhu (India), 16-21, 21-11, 21-12.
2026 French Open – Men’s Doubles Final
Man Wei Chong/Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia) defeated Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia), 13-21, 21-15, 21-7.
2026 French Open – Women’s Doubles Final
Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto (Japan) defeated Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan (Malaysia), 10-21, 21-17, 21-16.
2026 French Open – Mixed Doubles Final
Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (China) defeated Hoo Pang Ron/Lai Pei Jing (Malaysia), 21-10, 21-13.
