Players, viewers flag uneven lighting issues at India Open 2026

The lighting issues at the India Open 2026 were brought to the fore by the complaints from players as well as viewers. The event took place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the Indian capital, New Delhi. Canadian player Victor Lai  complained that it took him a while to acclimate himself to the bright lights

How did the lighting issues at the India Open 2026 impact the players and the viewers?

This is a fair commentary on the coverage by many viewers that the lighting in the stadium is uneven. Some parts were very brightly lit while others were in the shade, even though they were on a brightly lit court. The issue was most evident on Courts 3 and 4, which are placed side by side with the main television courts in the middle of the indoor stadium. This was in contrast to all BWF World Tour events, in which lighting was dispersed evenly over the entire court for optimal viewability.

The lighting issues at the India Open 2026 also seemed to affect the match. During the men’s singles quarterfinal match between Christo Popov and Jonatan Christie, it seemed as if Popov had lost sight of the shuttle twice in his match. The two shuttles fell inside the playing court. The lighting problem could be seen by match commentators as well during the telecast of the match.

The World Badminton Federation regulations further explain that lights should not be placed right above the playing area because they cause glare, which may interfere with the player's vision enough to obscure the shuttle. Back-of-the-court lighting should be focused so as not to create visual obstruction, and the lights are preferably positioned along the sides of the court.

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