What Do You Know About the Most Prestigious Badminton Tournament in the World?
The All England Open Badminton Championships, commonly referred to as All England, is the oldest and most prestigious badminton tournament in the world. Held annually, this tournament originated from the success of the first open badminton competition in Guildford in 1898.
Ethel Thomson was runner-up in ladies doubles in the first All England 1899 and was first ladies singles champion in 1900
The fourth edition in 1902, when the name was adopted.
The inaugural event took place on April 4, 1899, featuring only three categories: men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. A year later, men’s singles and women’s singles were officially added, completing the tournament structure we see today.
In its first two seasons, the tournament was called the “Badminton Association Tournament.” Before the official establishment of the World Badminton Championships in 1977, All England was regarded as the unofficial world championship, especially after the first Thomas Cup was held in 1949.
The history of All England spans over a century, with only two interruptions due to war: from 1915 to 1919 (World War I) and from 1940 to 1946 (World War II). With its rich tradition and prestige, All England is not only a top-tier competition but also a symbol of badminton worldwide.
As of now, All England has celebrated its 126th anniversary!
