After spending years inspiring Malaysia through his achievements on the badminton court, Lee Chong Wei is now turning his attention to developing the next generation with a tournament carrying his name.
The inaugural Lee Chong Wei Cup is currently being held from Aug 29 to Sept 6 at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, bringing together young Malaysian players in what is one of the country’s biggest youth badminton events.
The tournament features Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 categories across singles and doubles, with the Under-17 age group also featuring mixed doubles. It has attracted thousands of aspiring players looking for an opportunity to test themselves in a competitive tournament environment.
The event offers a total prize pool of RM100,000, making it the richest youth badminton tournament in Malaysia. The Under-17 boys’ and girls’ singles champions will each receive RM5,000.
But for Chong Wei, the tournament is about much more than prize money.
The former world No. 1 hopes the competition can help identify promising players from across the country and give them valuable experience before they move on to higher levels of the sport.
Players who enter through the qualifying stage have the chance to advance to the Grand Finals, while finalists will also have an opportunity to attend trials at Akademi Badminton Malaysia, subject to eligibility.
The tournament is sanctioned by the Badminton Association of Malaysia and is designed to provide young players with an environment that reflects the standards of professional competition.
Chong Wei has also worked closely with BAM to ensure the tournament fits into the national badminton calendar and does not clash with other major events.
The initiative comes after a remarkable playing career in which Chong Wei spent a record 349 weeks as world No. 1 and won three Olympic silver medals. Now, his focus is on helping others follow a similar path.
The Lee Chong Wei Cup is also expected to grow beyond its inaugural edition. Chong Wei has indicated plans to organise both a local tournament and an international junior event in 2027, giving young Malaysian players even more opportunities to gain experience against stronger opposition.
For Chong Wei, the ultimate goal is clear: to give back to the sport that made him a household name and create a pathway for the next generation of Malaysian badminton stars.
