Hanoi, 1 March 2026 – Vietnam’s top badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh has been unable to travel to Birmingham to compete in the prestigious 2026 All England Open Championships due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to the original schedule on February 28, Nguyen Thuy Linh was set to depart for the United Kingdom to participate in the tournament, which will take place from March 3 to 8. However, her flight was scheduled to transit through Qatar, and the country temporarily closed its airspace because of the escalating tensions in the Middle East, leading to the cancellation of her journey.
Sharing her concern on social media, the world No. 22 in women’s singles expressed her disappointment: “I don’t know if I will be able to make it to Birmingham this year. I’m praying for a miracle and some good luck.”
Speaking to media, a representative of the Dong Nai badminton department — the unit managing Nguyen Thuy Linh — confirmed that after her initial flight was canceled due to the inability to transit in Qatar, efforts were immediately made to arrange an alternative route. With the tournament fast approaching, finding a new ticket proved challenging, raising the possibility that she might have to withdraw. However, by noon today, Khoa Trung Kien, head of the badminton division at the Vietnam Sports Authority, announced positive news: Nguyen Thuy Linh has successfully secured a new ticket and is scheduled to depart for the UK this afternoon (March 1).
The All England Open Championships 2026 is part of the BWF World Tour Super 1000 series, one of the most elite levels in international badminton. The tournament features a total prize pool of USD 1.45 million (approximately VND 37 billion), and only top-ranked players on the BWF standings are eligible to compete. Nguyen Thuy Linh is the sole Vietnamese representative at this prestigious event.
According to the draw, she will face Denmark’s Line Christophersen, currently ranked world No. 24, in the first round of the women’s singles. Following the tournament in England, Nguyen Thuy Linh is set to continue competing in Switzerland and France as she aims to improve her BWF world ranking.
VSN/RPT
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