For Unnati Hooda, the BWF World Championships 2026 have already delivered the first major milestone of what could become a defining week in her young career. After negotiating a tense opening-round contest in New Delhi, the 18-year-old now faces a vastly more experienced opponent in Canada’s Michelle Li, with a place in the last 16 at stake.
Hooda defeated Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar 22-20, 21-16 on her World Championships debut on Tuesday, surviving a nervy opening game before gaining control in the second. She will now take on Li in the women’s singles Round of 32 on Wednesday, August 19, with the match scheduled for around 1:30 PM IST at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The contest represents another significant test for Hooda, who is competing at her first senior World Championships on home soil. The tournament has returned to India after 17 years, giving the country’s younger generation a chance to experience one of badminton’s biggest stages in front of a home crowd.
Unnati Hooda vs Michelle Li
Tournament: BWF World Championships 2026
Event: Women’s singles, Round of 32
Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Expected start: 1:30 PM IST
Venue: Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi
The match is part of a packed third day of action at the World Championships, with the singles draws moving deeper into the knockout phase and the pressure increasing with every round.
Where to watch Unnati Hooda vs Michelle Li live?
Indian viewers can watch the BWF World Championships on the Star Sports network, including Star Sports 1, Star Sports Select 1 HD and Star Sports Select 1 SD. The match will also be available for live streaming in India through JioHotstar. For viewers in Malaysia, the tournament is being broadcast on Astro, while international badminton fans can follow available live coverage through BWF TV on YouTube, subject to territory-specific broadcast rights. The BWF’s digital platforms will also provide live scores and results throughout the tournament.
Hooda’s first World Championships match was anything but routine. The Indian had to withstand a strong challenge from Thet Htar Thuzar, edging the opening game 22-20 before taking the second 21-16.
The victory was particularly significant because Hooda had to adapt to conditions that several players have found difficult at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Reports from the opening days of the tournament highlighted the movement of the shuttle and the challenge of controlling rallies inside the arena. Hooda’s ability to stay composed during the tight opening game was therefore an important positive.
The teenager has already built a reputation as one of India’s brightest young women’s singles players. She became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 tournament when she won the Odisha Open in 2022 at the age of 14. She has since added further titles and steadily climbed the international rankings. Her 2026 season has also included a Polish Open title, while she has continued to compete against established names on the BWF World Tour. She entered the World Championships having recently featured at major events including the Japan Open and Taipei Open.
Standing across the net will be a player with considerably more World Championships and Olympic experience. Michelle Li has been one of Canada’s leading women’s singles players for more than a decade. A multiple Commonwealth Games medallist, she has represented Canada at several Olympic Games and has regularly competed deep into major international tournaments. The experience gap will be one of the central aspects of Wednesday’s contest.
Hooda will have to deal with Li’s ability to extend rallies and force opponents into uncomfortable positions, while also finding opportunities to attack. The Indian’s challenge will be to avoid becoming overly cautious simply because of Li’s experience.
There is also a psychological edge for the Canadian. Li won the only previous meeting between the two players, defeating Hooda 21-10, 21-19 at the 2024 Arctic Open. That result gives Li a 1-0 head-to-head advantage, although the match took place nearly two years ago and Hooda has developed considerably since then. For Hooda, the objective is clear. A victory would take her into the Round of 16 at her first World Championships and provide another major boost to her growing international career.
For Li, it is an opportunity to halt the home favourite’s run. The atmosphere, however, could once again favour the Indian. Hooda has already experienced the noise and expectation of a home World Championships. She survived the first test. Now comes the second. At 1:30 PM, the teenager will return to the court with the last 16 within reach and a more experienced Canadian standing between her and another step into the spotlight.
