Ahn Se-young Eyes Historic All England Open Three-Peat | Badminton News

February 27, 2026 Alex Carter - Sports Editor Sport

Badminton star Ahn Se-young is poised to compete in the 2026 All England Open, departing for Birmingham, England on March 3rd, according to reports from OSEN on February 26th. This appearance follows her recent success leading the Korean women’s national team to victory at the Asian Team Championships.

The All England Open, established in 1899, is widely considered the most prestigious tournament in badminton. This year marks its 116th iteration, offering a total prize pool of $1.45 million (approximately 2.06 billion won). The competition has been held annually with only interruptions during World War I and II.

Ahn Se-young aims to secure her third consecutive title at the All England Open, a feat unprecedented in Korean badminton singles history. She first claimed the championship in 2023, defeating Chen Yufei and ending a 27-year drought for Korean women’s singles players. While she lost to Akane Yamaguchi in the 2024 semifinals, she rebounded to win the title again in 2025, besting Wang Ziyi.

Previous consecutive wins in All England Open doubles competition were achieved by Park Joo-bong, Jeong Myung-hee, and Gil Young-ah, but no Korean singles player has ever accomplished this. Ahn Se-young’s current form suggests a strong possibility of breaking this record.

Ahn Se-young’s recent performance has been dominant. She has secured wins in the Malaysia Open for a third consecutive year and the India Open for a second. Her winning streak currently stands at 32 games, and she has won all seven competitions she has entered since October of last year. Her single-season record now ties for the most wins ever, with 11, and she boasts a 94.8% win rate, the highest ever for a singles player. She has also accumulated $1,003,175 (approximately 1.43 billion won) in prize money throughout her career.

Potential matchups at the All England Open include a semifinal against Chen Yufei and a possible final against Wang Zhiyi, whom Ahn Se-young has defeated in all of their last 10 encounters.

Ahn Se-young was also recently featured at the 105th National Sports Festival badminton competition held at the Miryang Badminton Stadium in Gyeongsangnam-do on October 9th, 2024, competing against Shim Yu-jin.