CARDIFF will welcome the world’s top para badminton athletes next week as the Welsh capital hosts the British & Irish Para Badminton International 2025 – the largest event of its kind ever staged in Wales.
More than 300 athletes, officials and volunteers from over 40 nations are expected to descend on the Sport Wales National Centre from Tuesday (July 22) to Saturday (July 26) for five days of elite competition, featuring Paralympic medallists, world champions and emerging stars.
Awareness drive launched
To mark the countdown, Badminton Wales has unveiled a bold new awareness campaign titled ‘Can You Manage?’, aimed at challenging public perceptions of para athletes and encouraging greater participation in para badminton.
The campaign centres around a powerful short video – available on YouTube and Instagram – which showcases the strength, determination and elite performance of para badminton players. Supporters are being urged to share the video widely to boost visibility of the sport and its athletes.
Key event for Paralympic qualification
The tournament is a key stop on the international para badminton calendar, carrying significant world ranking points and forming part of the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
The event is backed by UK Sport, the Welsh Government, Sport Wales, Yonex, and Disability Sport Wales, in collaboration with Badminton Ireland, Badminton Scotland and Badminton England.
Seven athletes from Great Britain will compete on home soil, including Daniel Bethell, a Tokyo 2020 silver medallist and one of the sport’s biggest stars; Rachel Choong, a triple world champion in SH6 events; and Jack Wilson, a Wrexham-born player and former student at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Jack Wilson said: “It’s incredible to have such a major event in Wales. Competing on home soil in front of friends, family and supporters will be a huge boost for me and all the British players. Para badminton has grown massively, and this tournament will show just how high the standard is.”
Pride for Wales
Kelly Aston MBE, Chief Executive of Badminton Wales, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be bringing the British & Irish Para Badminton International to Cardiff. This event is about more than world-class sport – it’s about inclusion, representation, and breaking down barriers. That’s exactly what our ‘Can You Manage?’ campaign is about.”
Jack Sargeant MS, Welsh Government Minister for Sport, added: “It’s great to welcome truly impressive international badminton competitors to Wales. This tournament provides a fantastic opportunity to see Welsh athletes compete at an elite level on home turf. Events like this are central to our ambitions to establish Wales as a top destination for para sport. Pob lwc to all the competitors and organisers, and croeso i Gymru!”
Tickets from £1
Organisers are encouraging the public to attend, with tickets priced from just £1.00. Full event details, athlete profiles, and ticket bookings are available at:
👉 https://badminton.wales/british-irish-para-badminton-international-2025/
Supporters are also urged to watch and share the ‘Can You Manage?’ campaign video:
📺 YouTube: Click here
📱 Instagram: Click here
