How to watch BWF World Championships badminton live stream, online and on TV, finals day

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A tournament equal in important to the Olympics

Japan's Nozomi Okuhara returns the shuttlecock to India's Pusarla Venkata Sindhu during their women's singles final match at the BWF Badminton World Championships
(Image credit: Getty Images / FABRICE COFFRINI)

Badminton's top talents are in action at the BWF World Championships this week and it's the big day of finals left in Huelva, Spain today. Carolina Marin may not have made the cut but the big story is that India has its first ever finalist in the men's singles. Can Kidambi Srikanth bring it home? Here's how get a 2021 BWF World Championships live stream and watch Kidambi Srikanth vs Loh Kean Yew and the rest of today's badminton finals online from anywhere - including where to stream it absolutely free!

Badminton World Championships live stream

Dates: December 12-19

Venue: Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marin, Huelva, Spain

FREE live stream: YouTube (in most countries)

Global live streams: Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar (IN) | CCTV (CH) | BT Sport (UK)

Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free

Badminton World Championships victors also win gold medals and the status of world champions - accolades really don't get much bigger.

An Seyoung and Viktor Axelsen, fresh from their triumphs at the World Tour Finals last week, are amongst those competing for glory in Spain, as are winning doubles pairs, Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong, and Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.

P. V. Sindhu's return to form didn't quite bear fruit in Bali but reaffirms the Indian star as a genuine contender, while world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying will be desperate to end what has been an immensely frustrating year on a high.

It's the last hurrah of 2021, and you can follow our guide to get a badminton live stream from all over the world - including how to watch the BWF World Championships free online in many countries.

How to watch a FREE badminton live stream

100% free Badminton World Championships live stream on YouTube

If you don't live in a country where the tournament is being shown by a big-name broadcaster, the good news is that many people can get a 100% free Badminton World Championships live stream on YouTube.

YouTube is, of course, completely free to watch and compatible with pretty much any internet-connected device out there. 

Just bear in mind that Badminton World Championships coverage will be restricted in most countries where the tournament is being shown by local broadcasters (places like India and the UK). 

Play gets underway at 9am local time on most days of the tournament. That's 8am GMT, 4pm WITA and 1pm IST.

If you're abroad right now and still want to keep up with a badminton live stream on YouTube, you'll need a VPN (as explained below). Otherwise, you'll be limited to the highlights.

How to watch Badminton World Championships from outside your country

We've set out below the ways you can live stream Badminton World Championships action in a number of countries around the world. However, if you're away travelling for work or pleasure, you probably won't be able to tune in like you normally would at home.

That's the result of geo-blocking - best understood as digital borders that restrict certain services and content to certain parts of the world. A good streaming VPN can let you get around these digital borders, while also offering robust protection from cybercriminals and government snooping.

Use a VPN to live stream badminton from anywhere

ExpressVPN is the world's top VPN right now

ExpressVPN is the world's top VPN right now
We've taken the time to try out all the biggest VPN providers and we found ExpressVPN to be the pick of the bunch. It works with lots of devices and offers super fast connections across its many servers. 

Throw in its robust set of security features and ExpressVPN is the best all-round VPN for streaming - and perhaps best of all, it has a 30-day money back guarantee plus 3 months FREE when you subscribe for a year.

Access ExpressVPN via your laptop, iPhone, tablet, Android phone, PlayStation, Xbox and plenty more. Express is a do-it-all service that also benefits from 24/7 customer support.

- Try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30 days

Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...

1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location

3. Go to the broadcaster's live stream - so, in this case, just head to YouTube

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Badminton World Championships live stream 2021: how to watch badminton online in India

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Star Sports subscribers in India can watch the Badminton World Championships live either via the Star Sports TV channels or by getting a Disney+ Hotstar streaming subscription.

Disney Plus Hotstar plans start at Rs 499 for the VIP package, and the all-access content plan costs Rs 1,499.

Live coverage of the badminton typically runs from 1.30pm-7pm IST and from 10pm-1.30am.

Those of you wanting to live stream Badminton World Championships action on the move will need to use the Hotstar app, which is available via the web, Android, iOS, and Apple TV.

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(Image credit: Future)

How to watch a Badminton World Championships live stream in China

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Badminton fans based in China can tune into the 2021 Badminton World Championships on CCTV China, specifically CCTV5+.

Play gets underway at 4pm CST on most days of the tournament, but you'll need to keep an eye on CCTV's TV schedule, as the channel's coverage varies from day to day.

If there are any internet-related obstacles in your way or if you want to access your preferred feed from outside of China, you can use a VPN to watch the badminton wherever you are.

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How to watch 2021 Badminton World Championships: live stream in the UK

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The 2021 Badminton World Championships is being shown on BT Sport in the UK, with live coverage typically starting at 8am GMT and running deep into the evening. 

Don't forget that a £25 BT Sport Monthly Sports pass is now available, so you can get all that badminton goodness without a long-term commitment.

The BT Sport app will let subscribers watch the baseball on any number of devices, including mobiles, tablets, consoles and smart TVs.

If you find yourself outside the UK and want to watch the Badminton World Championships like you would at home, don't worry about geo-blocks on your account – simply grab a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action. 

Aatif Sulleyman
Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.