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With sporting events having returned to full swing in 2021, the best shuttlers on the planet duked it out once more on the World Tour. The best of the best won gold, silver, and bronze medals, then made their way to the banks to cash in their Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour prize money checks. How much did the best and brightest in the game take home in 2021?
In 2021, the BWF announced a $1.5 million prize pot for its World Tour Final. Just below the World Tour Final (or level 1 tournament) are the level 2 Super 1000 tournaments that award winners a whopping $850,000. Meanwhile, Super 750 and Super 500 winners bagged $600,000 and $320,000, respectively. Also, those who took first place in the 2021 Super 300 tournaments brought home $140,000.
With prize money like this, it’s no wonder the World Tour brings out the best in many a shuttler looking for fame and riches on the court. Join me as we look at the BWF World Tour prize money in 2021!
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BWF World Tour Tournaments and Prize Money in 2021
If you compare the 2019 BWF World Tour prize money to the money awarded in 2021, you’ll notice one striking difference. You’ll find that the 2021 World Tour prize money took a huge nosedive. While we’ve got many factors to blame, we can attribute this to one thing — the COVID-19 Pandemic.
If you’ll remember, 2020 wasn’t the best time to be a badminton fan (or a fan of any sport, for that matter). As lockdowns followed after March 2020, sporting events decreased — and so did sponsor activity and interest.
Fortunately, badminton came out of “hibernation” by early 2021. While this meant badminton events returned to how they were pre-COVID, even the biggest sponsors and the BWF were still hurting from the economic effects brought by the lockdowns.
The pandemic caused the BWF World Tour prize money to drop significantly, except for the prize money for the World Tour Final which remained at $1.5 million in 2021.
For more on how much money tournaments awarded World Tour winners that year, check out the table below:
| Level | Category | 2021 Minimum Prize Money | Number of Tournaments |
| 1 | World Tour Finals | $1,500,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Super 1000 | $850,000 | 6 |
| 3 | Super 750 | $600,000 | 5 |
| 4 | Super 500 | $320,000 | 7 |
| 5 | Super 300 | $140,000 | 11 |
| 6 | Super 100 | $75,000 | 8 |
2021 World Tour Tournaments and Sponsors
The BWF is in charge of putting every badminton tournament together. However, when money is on the line, you’ll need sponsors to foot the bill.
When it came to footing the bill in 2021, big brands like Yonex and Victor never disappoint. We’ve also got sponsors from non-badminton industries like HSBC, Toyota, Daihatsu, and many others to thank for the action that came out in 2021.
Without further ado, here are the 2021 tournaments, the World Tour prize money for each, and the generous sponsors who supplied the “extrinsic motivation” for each tournament.
Let’s kick off the list with the level 1, 2, and 3 tournaments!
| Level | 2021 Tournament | 2021 Prize Money | Sponsor |
| 1 | 2021 World Tour Finals | $1,500,000 | HSBC |
| 2 | 2021 Thailand Open | $1,000,000 | Yonex |
| 2 | 2021 Thailand Open | $1,000,000 | Toyota |
| 2 | 2021 All England Open Badminton Championships | $850,000 | Yonex |
| 2 | 2021 China Open (canceled) | $1,100,000 | Victor |
| 2 | 2021 Denmark Open | $850,000 | Victor |
| 2 | 2021 Indonesia Open | $850,000 | SimInvest |
| 3 | 2021 Malaysia Open | $600,000 | Celcom Axiata |
| 3 | 2021 Japan Open (Canceled) | $750,000 | Yonex and Daihatsu |
| 3 | 2021 French Open | $600,000 | Yonex |
| 3 | 2021 Fuzhou China Open | $750,000 | None |
| 3 | 2021 Indonesia Masters | $600,000 | Daihatsu |
Sadly, many Super 500 and Super 300 tournaments were canceled in 2021. Nevertheless, winners could have gone home with massive amounts of money had the events taken place.
Below are the level 4 and 5 tournaments, the prize money for each, and who sponsored each tournament in 2021.
| Level | Tournament | 2021 Prize Money | Sponsor |
| 4 | 2021 Malaysia Masters (Canceled) | $400,000 | Perodua |
| 4 | 2021 India Open (Canceled) | $400,000 | Yonex |
| 4 | 2021 Singapore Open (Canceled) | $320,000 | None |
| 4 | 2021 Thailand Open (Canceled) | $400,000 | Toyota |
| 4 | 2021 Korea Open (Canceled) | $320,000 | None |
| 4 | 2021 Hylo Open | $320,000 | Hylo |
| 4 | 2021 Hong Kong Open (Canceled) | $400,000 | Yonex |
| 5 | 2021 Thailand Masters (Canceled) | $200,000 | Princess Sirivannavari |
| 5 | 2021 Swiss Open | $140,000 | Yonex |
| 5 | 2021 German Open (Canceled) | $140,000 | Yonex |
| 5 | 2021 New Zealand Open (Canceled) | $200,000 | Barfoot and Thompson |
| 5 | 2021 Australia Open (Canceled) | $200,000 | Crown Group |
| 5 | 2021 Spain Masters | $140,000 | None |
| 5 | 2021 Korea Masters (Canceled) | $200,000 | None |
| 5 | 2021 U.S. Open (Canceled) | $200,000 | None |
| 5 | 2021 Taipei Open (Canceled) | $500,000 | Yonex |
| 5 | 2021 India International (Canceled) | $200,000 | Syed Modi |
| 5 | Macau Open (Canceled) | $200,000 | None |
Of course, let’s not forget the Super 100 tournaments. While they’re not technically part of the World Tour, these tournaments confer ranking points to qualify for World Tour tournaments.
Unfortunately, like level 4 and 5 tournaments, Super 100 tournaments were canceled in 2021. Here’s how much each would have paid winners had these events pushed through.
| Level | Tournament | Prize Money | Sponsor |
| 6 | Lingshui China Masters 2021 (Canceled) | $100,000 | None |
| 6 | Orleans Masters 2021 | $75,000 | None |
| 6 | Canada Open 2021(Canceled) | $100,000 | Yonex |
| 6 | Russian Open 2021(Canceled) | $100,000 | None |
| 6 | Akita Masters 2021(Canceled) | $100,000 | Yonex |
| 6 | Hyderabad Open 2021(Canceled) | $100,000 | None |
| 6 | Vietnam Open 2021(Canceled) | $100,000 | Yonex |
| 6 | 2021 Indonesia Masters (Canceled) | $90,000 | None |
What’s the Prize Money for the 2021 BWF World Championships?
The 2021 BWF World Championships did not have any prize money. The players are there to compete for glory and to be called World Champions!
What’s the Prize Money for Olympics in Badminton?
The Olympic committee does not pay out prize money for any sports. However, some countries have “bounties” on medals that can pay out quite well. See the Incentives for Olympic medalists by country Wikipedia post for the numbers.
What Is the BWF World Tour Final?
All tournaments in the World Tour lead to the grand finale of the year — the BWF World Tour Final!
The World Tour Final is the year-end culmination of all the action on the World Tour. In the Final, the top eight players from every badminton discipline come together to battle it out for maximum bragging rights, fame, and a seven-digit payout.
Often taking place in December, the World Tour is where names are made. It’s the event to beat all other events in terms of spectacle and excitement in the ever-competitive BWF World Tour.
The Most Prestigious World Tour Tournament: The All England Open
Many tournaments make up the World Tour. However, when it comes to pure prestige and history, none will come close to All-England Open Badminton Championships!
Dating back to 1899, the All England Open holds a rich heritage spanning over a century. It’s the oldest badminton tournament in the world, steeped in history and revered by players and fans alike.
With such a remarkable legacy, it has earned its place as the ultimate showcase of badminton supremacy. However, it’s not just its heritage that makes it the spectacle that it is. The All England Open is known for its trademark challenging format that requires players to exhibit unparalleled skill, unwavering focus, and nerves of steel.
The best of the best gather here, fully aware that victory at this prestigious event cements their legacy and places them among badminton’s immortals.
Badminton Action Returned in 2021 — And So Did the BWF World Tour Prize Money!
Big payouts awaited the best shuttlers on the World Tour. Despite the lower amounts, players still treated us to the non-stop, edge-of-your-seat badminton action we enjoyed before the pandemic.
Yes, the money in 2021 was less, but there was no shortage of action!
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