Haier Cup Returns Bigger, Bolder, and In Search of Malaysia’s Next Champions

Haier Malaysia announced the return of the Haier Cup badminton tournament for its exciting third edition, which is now bigger, bolder, and better than ever. This year marks a major milestone with the introduction of the Haier Cup Junior, a brand new championship aimed at discovering and nurturing the next generation of Malaysian shuttlers, from as young as seven years old.

The addition of Haier Cup Junior alongside the main Haier Cup 2025 paves the way for families and young shuttlers to participate in what promises to be the nation’s most exciting amateur badminton event by a brand. It provides greater opportunities for the country’s passionate badminton community in Malaysia to pit their skills in a competitive arena.

“Through the Haier Cup, we celebrate talent, passion, and community spirit via badminton, a sports that unites Malaysians on home and international grounds. The third edition of the Haier Cup underscores the company’s commitment to fostering a thriving badminton culture in Malaysia,” said Julian Thean, Brand Marketing Assistant Director of Haier Malaysia.

In addition to medals and cash prizes, champions and runners up (first and second place) will walk away with Haier home appliances, exclusive tournament jerseys, and Yonex merchandise.

Haier Cup 2025: Bigger and Broader

From just about 390 participants in its inaugural edition in 2023, the Haier Cup has gone from strength to strength. This year, Haier Malaysia is gearing up to welcome over 1,000 participants across four categories – Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles.

The main Haier Cup is open to all badminton enthusiasts aged 18 and above, featuring an expanded format with regional qualifiers across East, South, North, and Central Malaysia. The journey to the finals begins with the State Challenge phase, kicking off in Kuching, before moving to Johor, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur.

The champions and runners up from each State Challenge will earn a coveted spot in the Grand Finals in Kuala Lumpur on 10 August 2025, for a chance to claim ultimate glory and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent Malaysia at Haier’s regional tournament in Indonesia. The national champions will be competing against top amateur shuttler peers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. All travel and accommodation expenses for the regional tournament will be fully covered by Haier Malaysia.

• State Challenge – Sarawak: Arena Sukan, Kuching (10 May 2025)
• State Challenge – Johor: Sports Hub, Austin Height, Johor Bahru (14 June 2025)
• State Challenge – Penang: Berapit Sports Centre, Bukit Mertajam (5 July 2025)
• State Challenge – Kuala Lumpur: Tops Arena Empire, Kuala Lumpur (9 August 2025)
• Grand Finals – Tops Arena Empire, Kuala Lumpur (10 August 2025)
• Regional Tournament: Indonesia (September 2025)

Haier Cup Junior 2025: Discovering the Next Generation of Champions

The Haier Cup Junior marks the beginning of a new chapter in Haier’s commitment to nurturing young talent and growing Malaysia’s badminton scene. Open to participants aged 7 to 21, this dedicated platform aims to be an avenue for promising young shuttlers from schools to gain competitive experience, and be an early pathway toward badminton careers.

With a target of engaging 300 young participants, the Haier Cup Junior 2025 is a platform for youths to hone their badminton skills.

In addition to Boys’ and Girls’ Singles and Doubles categories by age group, the Haier Cup Junior 2025 introduces a special Parents & Child category to offer families an opportunity to team up and share the court in the spirit of fun and competition.

The Haier Cup Junior will be held exclusively in Kuala Lumpur on 19 and 20 July 2025, with medals and certificates awarded to all finalists and semi-finalists to recognise their achievements. The championship also forms part of Haier Malaysia’s sports marketing strategy to engage and inspire youth and families through the spirit of competition and on
court camaraderie.

Speaking on the Haier Cup 2025, Thean said, “Badminton holds a special place in the hearts of Malaysians, uniting us through a shared passion and national pride. This led us to introduce the Haier Cup as an annual platform for amateur badminton enthusiasts to showcase their skills. Inspired by our purpose of ‘More Creation, More Possibilities’ as well as the support received, we are expanding the tournament this year tournament to include more categories to encourage greater participation.

We see the Haier Cup as more than just a tournament; it is an initiative that celebrates ambition and dedication. Haier’s commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a healthy, active lifestyle aligns with the core values of positive competition. Whether you are a rising young star, a passionate amateur, or just someone who enjoys a sense of community, the Haier Cup 2025 has something for everyone. We hope the Haier Cup can serve as a stepping stone for aspiring talents to take to the court, live healthier lifestyles, and potentially discover the next badminton prodigy,” he continued.

Also read: Levelling the Field: Here’s How KBS is Encouraging M’sian Women Athletes to Thrive in Sports!