How Vietnamese badminton players are heading to the Singapore International Challenge 2026

The legend Nguyễn Tiến Minh is one of the notable figures representing Vietnamese badminton at the Singapore event.

Many well-known Vietnamese badminton players are participating in the Singapore International Challenge 2026, held from February 24 to March 1 at Geylang.

Most notably, the national badminton icon Nguyễn Tiến Minh is taking part. At 43 years old, Tiến Minh remains dedicated to his professional career, regularly competing in domestic tournaments and occasionally playing in lower-tier international events in countries geographically close to Vietnam such as China, India, Singapore, Thailand, and others.

Although no longer at his peak, the former top 5 BWF player and Asian and World Championship bronze medalist still possesses the skill to challenge younger opponents. Late last year, at the Bangladesh International Challenge, "Minh ca" impressively reached the semifinals, which boosted his world ranking by over 100 spots, placing him within the top 300 globally.

At the 2026 Singapore International Challenge, Tiến Minh must compete from the qualifiers, alongside Phan Phúc Thịnh. Meanwhile, Vietnam's current top two men's singles players, Nguyễn Hải Đăng and Lê Đức Phát, have direct entry into the main draw.

The duo that made headlines by winning the Ciputra Hanoi - Yonex Sunrise Vietnam International Challenge 2025: Nguyễn Đình Hoàng and Trần Đình Mạnh will also participate. This is their first tournament of 2026; previously, they were listed as reserves for the Thailand Masters.

The two athletes who won the only medals for Vietnamese badminton at SEA Games 33: Vũ Thị Trang and Bùi Bích Phương are also present in Singapore but will compete only in their specialty, the women's singles, rather than partnering up.

Other representatives of Vietnamese badminton at the Singapore International Challenge include pairs Phạm Thị Diệu Ly/Phạm Thị Khánh, Nguyễn Khắc Đăng Khánh/Nguyễn Văn Quang Huy, Nguyễn Thụy Kim Hằng/Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, and others.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's current number one player, Nguyễn Thùy Linh, is not participating in any tournament, including the Super 300 German Open – where she was runner-up for two consecutive seasons. The player from Phú Thọ is fully focused on preparing for the prestigious Super 1000 All England Open.