Badminton Europe celebrates the recent decision by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to upgrade the HYLO Open to a Super 500 tournament for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. This marks a significant milestone for the event, further cementing its status as one of Europe’s top tournaments.
The HYLO Open has consistently been a highlight on the European badminton calendar, attracting top international players and thrilling fans year after year. The 2024 edition saw remarkable success for European players, with Christo Popov defeating his brother Toma Junior Popov in the Men’s Singles final, Mia Blichfeldt taking the Women’s Singles title, Amalie Magelund and Jesper Toft triumphing in Mixed Doubles, Ben Lane and Sean Vendy winning the Men’s Doubles, and Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr securing their first BWF World Tour silver medal in Women’s Doubles.
The tournament’s elevation to Super 500 status brings several key benefits, including increased prize money from USD 210,000 in 2024 to USD 475,000 in 2025 and higher world ranking points. This upgrade places HYLO Open among the top five badminton tournaments in Europe, alongside the All England Open (Super 1000), Denmark Open and French Open (Super 750), and Arctic Open in Finland (Super 500). The tournament will be held from October 28 to November 2, 2025, at the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken.
“This upgrade is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in organizing the HYLO Open,” said Tournament Director Frank Liedke. “We have proven over the years that our tournament can compete with higher-ranked events. We are grateful to BWF for their trust and are confident that we will meet the expectations that come with this upgrade.”
The tournament’s global reach will also expand, with live international television coverage increasing from two to four days. This enhanced visibility has played a crucial role in attracting greater sponsorship and investment, further strengthening the event’s growth.
“For us, this is a logical step,” said Boris Röder, Head of Corporate Communications at title sponsor Ursapharm Arzneimittel GmbH. “This is one of the biggest events in the region, and the consistently growing global reach confirms our instincts. We had no doubt that we wanted to be part of this and help make the event even bigger.”
Reinhold Jost, Minister for Interior and Sport of Saarland, also highlighted the tournament’s importance: “The HYLO Open has become one of the flagship sporting events in Saarland. We are very proud of this and are demonstrating our appreciation with appropriate financial support.”
German player Isabel Lohau also shared her excitement about the tournament’s upgrade: “It’s definitely something special. All athletes are aiming to play those big tournaments, and there’s nothing better than having one of those big tournaments in the city where we train and live. Playing on home soil is always special. You stay in your comfort zone and always have the crowd behind you. And the bigger the tournament and the better the competition with the best in the world, the more interesting the tournament becomes for us.”
Lohau, who is currently getting back in the groove of being able to compete in international tournaments, remains hopeful about her participation in the event: “It’s a little early to say if I will be back in time. But I have a lot of trust in my body. A lot of new things are happening at the moment, and I will give myself the time I need, but obviously, it would be great to step on court at the HYLO Open Super 500 in Saarbrücken.”
With the upgrade to Super 500 status, HYLO Open further solidifies its reputation as a premier tournament, promising world-class badminton action and an exciting addition to the European tour in the coming seasons.
Fans can look forward to witnessing top-tier competition in Saarbrücken, as the tournament continues to grow in prestige and significance.