
Badminton enthusiasts can rejoice as there are several professional badminton leagues around the world. One of the most prominent is the Premier Badminton League (PBL), which was launched in 2016 and is based in India. The PBL features some of the top Indian and international badminton talent, including Olympic and World Championship medal winners. It has a rich history, with the Delhi Dashers (formerly known as the Delhi Acers) winning the first season. Other notable leagues include the Purple League in Malaysia and the Danish League in Denmark. Additionally, the UBX Professional Badminton League is set to launch in North America in 2025, featuring athletes from around the world. These leagues not only showcase the best talent in the sport but also help to widen the base of badminton and provide exciting opportunities for fans and players alike.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Premier Badminton League (PBL) |
| Location | India |
| Format | Teams play each other in a round-robin format in the league stage. |
| Number of Teams | 7 (previously 9) |
| Matches | 2 Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles |
| Games | Best of 3 |
| Points | 1 point for each regular match win; teams choose a Trump match worth 2 points for a win and a loss of 1 point |
| Stages | League stage and knockout stage |
| Participants | Top Indian and international badminton talent, including Olympic and World Championship Medal Winners |
| Seasons | 5 seasons since 2016 |
| Prize Money | ₹6 crore (equivalent to ₹7.1 crore or US$840,000 in 2023) |
| Other Leagues | UBX Professional Badminton League (launching in North America in 2025) |
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What You'll Learn

Premier Badminton League (PBL)
The Premier Badminton League, also known as PBL, is a team badminton league that operates in India. It was launched in 2016 and is considered one of the top badminton leagues worldwide. The PBL features nine state or city-based franchise teams, showcasing the best of Indian and international badminton talent.
The league has gained a significant following, reaching an audience of over 100 million through television, on-ground support, and social media platforms. As of 2024, the PBL has completed five successful seasons, with the first season taking place from 2 to 17 January 2016. The Delhi Dashers, formerly known as the Delhi Acers, emerged as the champions of the inaugural season, defeating the Mumbai Rockets in a thrilling final.
The second season of the PBL commenced on 22 December 2016 and concluded on 14 January 2017. The Chennai Smashers, led by the talented P. V. Sindhu, clinched the title in the finals, establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The third season, held from 23 December 2017 to 14 January 2018, witnessed the rise of the Hyderabad Hunters, who claimed the championship title under the leadership of Carolina Marín.
The PBL follows a round-robin format in the league stage, where each team plays six ties, with each tie consisting of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. Each match is played as the best of three games. Teams accumulate points by winning regular matches, earning one point per victory. Additionally, each team selects a Trump match, where the stakes are higher—a win in the Trump match earns them two points, while a loss results in a point deduction.
After the league stage, the top four teams in the standings advance to the knockout stage, with the semi-final winners progressing to the final match. The winner of the final is crowned the PBL champion. The PBL has significantly impacted the earnings of players, with the league's structure allowing players to more than double their annual income from prize money in 2018.
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UBX Professional Badminton League
The UBX Professional Badminton League is a groundbreaking new badminton league designed to showcase excellence in the sport. Athletes from around the world will compete on the UBX court, with the inaugural season set to launch in North America in 2025. The league will feature exciting rallies and showcase a variety of shots, including net rolls, drop shots, and jump smashes, providing fans with an entertaining and engaging experience.
The UBX Professional Badminton League will join other top badminton leagues around the world, such as the Premier Badminton League (PBL) in India, the Purple League in Malaysia, and the Danish League in Denmark. These leagues have attracted high international participation and a dedicated fan base, with the PBL reaching an audience of more than 100 million through television, on-ground support, and social media.
The Premier Badminton League, launched in 2016, features nine state or city-based franchise teams and the top Indian and international badminton talent. The league follows a round-robin format, with each team playing six ties, each consisting of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. Each match is the best of three games, and teams earn points for each regular match win, with the top four teams advancing to the knockout stage. The winners of the semi-finals then compete in the final to be crowned PBL champions.
The UBX Professional Badminton League aims to build on the success of these existing leagues and bring even more excitement and engagement to the sport of badminton. With athletes like Viktor Axelsen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and Kodai Naraoka, the league is sure to showcase some of the best talent in the world. The inaugural season in 2025 will be a highly anticipated event for badminton enthusiasts and sports fans alike.
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Indian Badminton League
Yes, there is a professional badminton league. The Premier Badminton League (PBL), previously known as the Indian Badminton League, is a team badminton league operating in India. It is widely considered one of the top badminton leagues in the world. The PBL was launched in 2016 and has since hosted five seasons, with the fifth season concluding in 2020. The league features nine state or city-based franchise teams and the top Indian and international badminton talent. The league has reached an audience of more than 100 million through television, on-ground support, and social media.
The PBL follows a round-robin format in the league stage, with each team playing six ties. Each tie consists of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. Each match is the best of three games. Teams earn one point for each regular match win, and they can also choose a Trump match, where a win is worth two points and a loss subtracts one point. After the league stage, the top four teams in the table qualify for the knockout stage, with the winners of the semi-finals advancing to the final.
The player auctions are typically held annually, and professional players from around the world enter the bidding process, with teams buying them. The league has significantly impacted players' earnings, with some doubling their annual income from prize money. Each franchise has a purse of ₹2 crore (US$240,000), and the maximum spending limit for a single player in the 2020 auction was ₹77 lakh (US$91,000). The highest-paid players in the 2020 auction were Taiwanese Tai Tzu-ying and Indian P. V. Sindhu, sold for ₹77 lakh (US$91,000) to their respective teams.
The Indian Badminton League, in its first season as the PBL, featured nine teams, including Delhi Dashers, Chennai Smashers, Awadhe Warriors, and Mumbai Rockets. Delhi Dashers and Mumbai Rockets made it to the final, with Delhi Dashers clinching the title with a 4-3 victory. The second season of the PBL began on 1 January 2017, with the Chennai Smashers, led by P. V. Sindhu, emerging as champions. The third season concluded on 14 January 2018, with the Hyderabad Hunters, headed by Carolina Marín, crowned champions.
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PBL format
The Premier Badminton League (PBL) is a team badminton league that was launched in 2016 and operates in India. It is one of the top badminton leagues in the world, featuring nine state or city-based franchise teams and the top Indian and international badminton talent. The league has reached a wide audience of more than 100 million through television, on-ground support, and social media.
The PBL format consists of a league stage and a knockout stage. During the league stage, teams play each other in a round-robin format. Each team plays six ties, and each tie consists of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. Each of these matches is the best of three games, with each game being a race to 15 points and a sudden death at 14-14. Teams earn one point for each regular match win. Additionally, each team chooses a Trump match, where a win is worth two points, and a loss subtracts one point.
After the league stage, the top four teams in the standings qualify for the knockout stage, which consists of semi-finals and finals. The winners of the semi-finals proceed to the final, where the winning team is crowned the PBL champion. The player auctions are typically held at the end of each year for the subsequent season, with professional players from around the world entering the bidding process where teams buy them.
The PBL has helped players significantly increase their earnings from prize money. For example, the total prize money for the fifth season, which took place from 20 January to 9 February 2020, was ₹6 crore (equivalent to ₹7.1 crore or US$840,000 in 2023).
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PBL participants
The Premier Badminton League, also known as PBL, is a team badminton league that operates in India. It was launched in 2016 and is considered one of the top badminton leagues worldwide. The PBL features nine state or city-based franchise teams with a mix of top Indian and international badminton talent.
Each team in the PBL plays six ties in the league stage, with each tie consisting of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. These matches are played in a best-of-three games format. Teams earn points by winning regular matches and can strategically choose a Trump match, where a win earns them two points, and a loss results in a one-point deduction.
The PBL follows a round-robin format during the league stage, ensuring all teams play against each other. After this stage, the top four teams in the standings advance to the knockout stage. The winners of the semi-finals then compete in the final match to determine the PBL champions.
The PBL has gained significant popularity, attracting more than 100 million viewers across television, on-ground support, and social media platforms. The league has also positively impacted players' earnings, with participants more than doubling their annual income from prize money in 2018.
Some notable PBL participants and teams include:
- Delhi Dashers (formerly Delhi Acers): They were the champions of the first season of PBL, defeating the Mumbai Rockets in the finals.
- Chennai Smashers: Led by P. V. Sindhu, they clinched the title in the second season of PBL.
- Hyderabad Hunters: Headed by Carolina Marín, they emerged as champions in the third season of PBL.
- Bengaluru Raptors (formerly Bengaluru Top Guns and Bengaluru Blasters): They won consecutive PBL titles in the fourth and fifth seasons, beating the Northeastern Warriors in the finals.
- Northeastern Warriors: They reached the finals in the fifth season but were defeated by the Bengaluru Raptors.
- Mumbai Rockets: This team consistently performed well, reaching the finals in the first and second seasons of PBL.
- Awadhe Warriors: They were semi-finalists in the first and second seasons of PBL.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are several professional badminton leagues around the world, including the Premier Badminton League (PBL) in India, the Purple League in Malaysia, and the Danish League in Denmark.
The Premier Badminton League (PBL) was launched in 2016 and is one of the top badminton leagues in the world.
The PBL currently has seven teams competing in the league, but there were nine teams during the 2018-19 season.
The PBL follows a round-robin format in the league stage, with each team playing six ties. Each tie consists of five matches: two Men's singles, Women's singles, Men's doubles, and Mixed doubles. The top four teams in the table qualify for the knockout stage, with the winners of the semi-finals advancing to the final.
Yes, the UBX Professional Badminton League (UBXPL) is a new professional badminton league that will launch in North America in 2025.











































