Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik’s impressive run to the 2026 BWF World Championships final has not changed Malaysia’s immediate men’s doubles plans, with head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi confirming that his partnership experiment will continue until the end of the year.
The world No. 4 Malaysians reunited in New Delhi after being temporarily separated and responded by reaching the final, where they finished runners-up to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang.
But according to Herry, the silver medal does not automatically mean Aaron and Soh will immediately return as a permanent partnership.
The coaching team still wants to evaluate different combinations before deciding which pairs Malaysia will rely on for the longer term, particularly with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games becoming an increasingly important target.
Herry Iman Pierngadi Says Doubles Experiment Will Continue
Speaking after returning from New Delhi, Herry made clear that Malaysia’s men’s doubles restructuring remains a work in progress.
He wants to continue assessing how the players perform with different partners before making any permanent decisions toward the end of the year.
“We still want to see the results when they play with other partners. At the end of the year, then we can determine which partnerships will be permanent.”
Herry believes the experimentation has already produced several benefits, particularly by exposing younger players to new responsibilities and different playing styles.
“There have been many positives from changing the partnerships. The players gain more experience with new partners, especially the younger players.”
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to Be Separated Again
Despite their World Championships success, Aaron and Soh are expected to return to different partners for upcoming tournaments as originally planned.
The pair had been separated earlier in the season as Herry tested a number of new combinations.
Aaron partnered Aaron Tai during part of the experiment, while Soh played alongside Man Wei Chong.
They were reunited specifically for the World Championships and quickly demonstrated that their long-established chemistry remained intact.
Herry acknowledged that their ability to immediately perform at a high level was not surprising given how many years they have spent playing together.
“They have been a pair for a long time. Even after three or four tournaments apart, when they play together again, they can still understand each other because of that experience.”
Aaron-Soh Reach World Championships Final After Reunion
The reunion produced one of Malaysia’s strongest badminton performances of the season.
Aaron and Soh advanced all the way to the World Championships final, highlighted by a superb semifinal victory over South Korea’s world No. 1 and defending champions Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae.
The Malaysians defeated the Korean pair 21-17, 21-18 to reach the championship match.
In the final, however, China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang proved stronger.
The Chinese world No. 3 pair defeated Aaron and Soh 21-17, 21-16 to capture their first World Championships title.
- World champions: Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang of China
- Runners-up: Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia
- Score: 21-17, 21-16
- Event: 2026 BWF World Championships men’s doubles final
Herry Praises Aaron-Soh Despite Missing World Title
Although Aaron and Soh did not reclaim the world crown they first won in 2022, Herry considered their New Delhi campaign a highly positive result.
“Even though they didn’t become champions, I think the result was very good. Of course, it would have been even better if they had won, but reaching the final was already an excellent result.”
The performance again demonstrated that Aaron and Soh remain capable of competing with the strongest men’s doubles partnerships in world badminton.
That has inevitably created questions about whether separating them remains the best long-term strategy.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Want to Stay Together
Aaron and Soh themselves have made no secret of their preference.
Soh said the pair hope they can remain together, although they will first discuss the coaching team’s plans with the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
“Of course Aaron and I hope we can stay together, but if the plans are not aligned, then we will discuss what to do next.”
Soh also acknowledged that he has reached a stage of his career where long-term decisions carry greater importance.
With roughly two years remaining before the Los Angeles Olympics, he wants to make choices that give him the best opportunity to achieve his biggest remaining goal.
Could Aaron-Soh Turn Professional to Remain Together?
One particularly interesting development is that Aaron and Soh appear willing to consider all available options if remaining together does not fit BAM’s eventual plans.
That could potentially include moving outside the national setup and competing professionally, although no decision has been made.
Soh emphasized that discussions with BAM and the coaching team will come first.
For now, both players remain part of the national program and will follow the coaching team’s restructuring plan.
However, their desire to continue together adds another dimension to the debate over Malaysia’s men’s doubles strategy.
Aaron Chia Admits Original Partnership May Be Stronger
Aaron also acknowledged that established partnerships can naturally have an advantage because the players already understand each other’s movement, positioning and decision-making.
“I think the original partnerships may be stronger because we have played together for a long time, but maybe the coaches want to see what each player can do with someone different.”
That balance between proven chemistry and the potential of new combinations lies at the heart of Herry’s experiment.
Aaron and Soh have already demonstrated what they can accomplish together. The coaching team is now trying to determine whether different partnerships could eventually become even stronger.
Aaron-Soh to Play With Different Partners in Upcoming Tournaments
Aaron confirmed that the reshuffle will continue during the next phase of the badminton calendar.
Under the current plan, he and Soh will again compete with different partners at upcoming tournaments, including the China Masters in Shenzhen from September 1-6 and the European swing later in the season.
The scheduled European tournaments include:
- Arctic Open in Finland: October 6-11
- Denmark Open: October 13-18
- French Open: October 20-25
Those events will give Herry additional opportunities to evaluate the new combinations before deciding whether the reshuffle should become permanent.
Experiment Could Continue Until December
Herry is expected to continue testing different Malaysian men’s doubles combinations through the end of the season.
That means there may not be a definitive answer on Aaron and Soh’s future for several more months.
The coaching staff will be looking at more than tournament results alone.
Compatibility, playing style, communication, tactical balance, individual development and the ability to compete against elite opposition will all influence the eventual decisions.
Los Angeles 2028 Remains Aaron-Soh’s Biggest Goal
For Aaron and Soh, the long-term objective remains clear: Olympic gold.
Aaron said that if the coaching team ultimately decides to restore the original partnerships for the Olympic qualification campaign, he would have no problem returning permanently alongside Soh.
“The Olympics are a major target in our careers, and we hope we can achieve the gold medal before we finish.”
The pair already possess one of the strongest Olympic records in Malaysian badminton.
Aaron and Soh won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and repeated the achievement at Paris 2024.
Los Angeles would therefore give them the opportunity to chase a third consecutive Olympic medal — and potentially finally turn bronze into gold.
Aaron-Soh Complete World Championships Medal Collection
The silver medal in New Delhi also completed Aaron and Soh’s collection of World Championships medals.
They made history in 2022 by becoming Malaysia’s first senior badminton world champions when they captured the men’s doubles title in Tokyo.
They followed that achievement with bronze in Copenhagen in 2023 before adding silver in New Delhi this year.
- 2022 World Championships: Gold medal
- 2023 World Championships: Bronze medal
- 2026 World Championships: Silver medal
The pair have therefore won gold, silver and bronze at the World Championships in addition to their two Olympic bronze medals.
For Aaron, that body of work represents something both players can be proud of regardless of what happens next.
“For our careers, it is something we are very proud of. As players, winning medals and titles is a big achievement, but we will continue working harder.”
Does Malaysia Have a Better Combination Than Aaron-Soh?
The success in New Delhi creates a fascinating dilemma for Malaysian badminton.
Herry’s experiment has a logical objective. Malaysia cannot know whether stronger partnerships are possible without giving different combinations meaningful opportunities in international competition.
Younger players also benefit significantly from partnering experienced stars such as Aaron and Soh.
At the same time, Aaron and Soh have just provided another powerful reminder of what they can achieve together.
After several tournaments apart, they reunited and immediately reached the World Championships final.
Along the way, they defeated the defending champions and world No. 1 pair in straight games.
That means any new combination involving Aaron or Soh will inevitably be compared against an extremely high benchmark.
Herry Faces Major Decision at End of 2026
Herry therefore has several months to determine which direction gives Malaysia the strongest chance of success.
If the experimental partnerships produce convincing results, the coaching team may decide that the reshuffle has uncovered combinations with greater long-term potential.
If they struggle against the world’s leading pairs, restoring Aaron and Soh could become increasingly difficult to resist.
There is also another factor: the players themselves appear to want the partnership to continue.
With the Los Angeles Olympics only two years away, the eventual decision will have major implications for both players and for Malaysia’s pursuit of its first Olympic badminton gold medal.
Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik Future Remains One of Malaysian Badminton’s Biggest Questions
For now, nothing changes.
Herry Iman Pierngadi will continue experimenting. Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik will again play with different partners, and BAM will evaluate the results before making its final call.
But the 2026 World Championships have changed the context of that decision.
Aaron and Soh did not win the title, yet reaching the final after being reunited for one tournament showed that their partnership remains highly competitive at the very highest level of badminton.
They have also made clear that they would like to stay together and are prepared to discuss the options available to them as they plan the final years of their careers.
The coaching experiment will continue through the end of the year, but one question will follow every new Malaysian men’s doubles combination onto the court: can it genuinely offer more than Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik already do?
The answer to that question could ultimately determine who carries Malaysia’s biggest men’s doubles hopes into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
