New Delhi, India: Two of the most decorated women’s singles players of their generation will meet for badminton’s world title after An Se Young and Akane Yamaguchi booked their places in the 2026 BWF World Championships final.
South Korea’s top seed An defeated China’s Wang Zhi Yi 24-22, 21-16 in the semifinals, while Japan’s second seed Yamaguchi overcame Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-17.
Watch Highlights of An Se Young vs. Wang Zhi Yi in the 2026 World Championships semis:
The result sets up a heavyweight championship match featuring the reigning Paris Olympic gold medalist against a three-time world champion.
An won the BWF World Championships title in 2023 before capturing Olympic gold in Paris, while Yamaguchi has lifted the world crown three times, winning in 2021, 2022 and 2025.
An Se Young Holds Off Wang Zhi Yi
An faced a serious challenge from third seed Wang Zhi Yi in the first women’s singles semifinal.
The opening game developed into a tense battle with neither player able to create significant separation. Wang stayed with the world No. 1 deep into the game, forcing the score beyond 21 points.
An eventually found the two-point advantage she needed to take the opener 24-22.
After surviving that pressure, the South Korean took greater control in the second game. Her movement, defensive consistency and ability to turn rallies into attacking opportunities gradually wore Wang down.
An pulled clear to take the second 21-16 and secure another World Championships final appearance.
- Winner: An Se Young of South Korea
- Defeated: Wang Zhi Yi of China
- Score: 24-22, 21-16
- Round: Women’s singles semifinal
Paris Olympic Champion Chasing Another World Title
An enters the final with one of the most impressive championship résumés in modern women’s badminton.
She captured her first senior world title in 2023 before adding Olympic gold in Paris, confirming her position among the dominant players of her era.
Another victory in New Delhi would give the South Korean a second World Championships title and add another major trophy to a career that has already reached both the top of the world rankings and the Olympic podium.
Standing between An and that second world crown, however, is a player with even more World Championships gold medals.
Akane Yamaguchi Cruises Past Pornpawee Chochuwong
Yamaguchi produced an assured performance in the other semifinal, defeating Pornpawee Chochuwong in straight games.
The Japanese star established control early and took the opening game 21-12.
Pornpawee offered stronger resistance in the second, but Yamaguchi maintained her consistency and remained in control of the important rallies.
The second seed completed the victory 21-17 to move into another World Championships final.
- Winner: Akane Yamaguchi of Japan
- Defeated: Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand
- Score: 21-12, 21-17
- Round: Women’s singles semifinal
Yamaguchi Chasing Fourth World Championships Crown
Yamaguchi has established an extraordinary record at the World Championships.
The Japanese star captured back-to-back world titles in 2021 and 2022 before returning to the top of the podium again in 2025.
She now has an opportunity to win a fourth world championship, which would further strengthen her status as one of the most accomplished women’s singles players of her generation.
The final therefore offers a fascinating contrast: An arrives as the Paris Olympic champion and 2023 world champion, while Yamaguchi enters as a three-time world champion attempting to add a fourth title.
An Se Young vs Akane Yamaguchi for 2026 World Title
The women’s singles final is scheduled for August 23 in New Delhi.
- South Korea: An Se Young, No. 1 seed
- Japan: Akane Yamaguchi, No. 2 seed
- Stage: 2026 BWF World Championships final
- Date: August 23
- Estimated time: Around 3:30 p.m.
Few women’s singles finals could offer a stronger collection of major titles.
An brings an Olympic gold medal and a World Championships crown to the court, while Yamaguchi has three world titles and the experience of repeatedly performing on badminton’s biggest stage.
The matchup should provide one of the headline contests of the championship day in New Delhi.
Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning Fight Back to Reach Women’s Doubles Final
China’s top-seeded women’s doubles pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning had to recover from a game down before ending India’s hopes of reaching the final.
Home favorites Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela made an outstanding start, taking the opening game 21-18.
Liu and Tan responded immediately in the second game and began to impose their attacking strength and pace more effectively.
The Chinese pair took the second 21-13 before completely taking control of the deciding game.
They allowed Treesa and Gayatri only eight points in the third, completing the comeback 21-8.
- Winners: Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning of China
- Defeated: Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand Pullela of India
- Score: 18-21, 21-13, 21-8
- Round: Women’s doubles semifinal
Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee Book Place in Final
South Korea’s third seeds Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee secured the other place in the women’s doubles final with a straight-game victory over China’s Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min.
The Koreans won the first game 21-17 before becoming increasingly dominant in the second.
Baek and Lee closed out the semifinal 21-12 to guarantee South Korea another opportunity to win a world title on the final day.
- Winners: Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee of South Korea
- Defeated: Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min of China
- Score: 21-17, 21-12
- Round: Women’s doubles semifinal
China vs South Korea in Women’s Doubles Final
The women’s doubles championship will therefore feature China’s top seeds Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning against South Korea’s third seeds Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee.
- China: Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning
- South Korea: Baek Ha Na/Lee So Hee
- Date: August 23
- Estimated time: Around 1:50 p.m.
Both pairs arrive in the final after contrasting semifinal victories. Liu and Tan were forced to come from behind, while Baek and Lee completed their semifinal in straight games.
Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping Survive Thriller
The mixed doubles semifinals also produced drama as China’s top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping survived a three-game battle against Indonesia’s Amri Syahnawi and Nita Violina Marwah.
The Indonesians made an impressive start and took the opening game 22-20.
Feng and Huang responded by winning the second 21-14, sending the contest into a deciding game.
The decider went down to the final points, with neither pair able to establish a decisive advantage.
The Chinese top seeds eventually held their nerve to edge the third game 22-20 and secure their place in the final.
- Winners: Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping of China
- Defeated: Amri Syahnawi/Nita Violina Marwah of Indonesia
- Score: 20-22, 21-14, 22-20
- Round: Mixed doubles semifinal
Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue Knock Out Chinese Second Seeds
France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue produced a major result in the other mixed doubles semifinal, coming from behind to eliminate China’s second seeds Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.
Jiang and Wei won the opening game 21-19, but the French fifth seeds responded strongly.
Gicquel and Delrue took the second game 21-13 before continuing their momentum in the decider.
The French pair won the third 21-11 to complete an impressive comeback and reach the World Championships final.
- Winners: Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue of France
- Defeated: Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin of China
- Score: 19-21, 21-13, 21-11
- Round: Mixed doubles semifinal
China-France Battle for Mixed Doubles World Title
The mixed doubles final will see China’s top-seeded Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping face France’s fifth seeds Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.
- China: Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping
- France: Thom Gicquel/Delphine Delrue
- Date: August 23
- Scheduled start: 1 p.m.
Feng and Huang survived one of the closest semifinals of the day, while Gicquel and Delrue arrive after eliminating the Chinese second seeds in three games.
2026 World Championships Finals Set for Dramatic Sunday
The badminton World Championships now move into their final day with several compelling title matches confirmed.
The women’s singles final stands out as one of the biggest, bringing together two players who have dominated many of the sport’s major championships in recent years.
An Se Young has already achieved the rare combination of winning both a World Championships title and Olympic gold, while Akane Yamaguchi is attempting to become world champion for the fourth time.
Elsewhere, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning will attempt to deliver another women’s doubles title for China against Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee of South Korea.
Mixed doubles will feature another China-Europe confrontation as Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping meet France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.
With Olympic champions, multiple world champions and several of badminton’s highest-ranked players still fighting for gold, the final day in New Delhi promises a fitting conclusion to the 2026 BWF World Championships.
