Council Bluffs to host USA Badminton championships

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (WOWT) - Council Bluffs was chosen to host a badminton championship this summer.

USA Badminton announced Friday that the 2023 Yonex U.S. Open Badminton Championships are heading to Council Bluffs in July. Founded in 1937, USA BAdminton is the recognized national governing body for the sport of badminton in the United States.

The championship will be held July 11-16 at the Mid-America Center.

According to USA Badminton, the U.S. Open is a Super 300 level tournament in the Badminton World Federation Tour. The tour is a circuit of 27 tournaments across the world.

USA Badminton is partnering with the Omaha Sports Commission and Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau to host the championships.

“We are thrilled to host this international competition, adding to our area’s rich history with the sport of badminton,” said Lindsay Brown, the Executive Director and President of the Omaha Sports Commission. “OSC and the Council Bluffs CVB are excited to welcome athletes from all over the world, showing them what Council Bluffs and our metropolitan has to offer.”

This year is the 58th edition of the championships and marks the return of the U.S. Open after a three-year hiatus.

“We are delighted to bring the U.S. Open back to our competition schedule this year, since it allows our athletes to compete at the highest level while enjoying the advantage of competing at home,” said Linda French, the CEO of USA Badminton. “We anticipate a high level of competition in Council Bluffs because we’ve already had significant interest from many of the world’s top athletes.”

More details on registration for the event will be available at a later time. Tickets will be available at the area box office or from Ticketmaster.