Dato’ Seri (Dr.) Lee Chong Wei spent 349 weeks as world number one. Now he’s spending his retirement building the next queue.
The triple Olympic silver medallist has launched the Lee Chong Wei Cup (LCWC) — a grassroots badminton tournament backed by Chery Malaysia that dangles a RM100,000 prize purse and, more crucially, trial spots at Academy Badminton Malaysia for category winners.
The Format
The single-leg event, officially supported by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), will run three age brackets: Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17. All five disciplines are covered — boys’ and girls’ singles, doubles, and mixed doubles — with organisers targeting 3,200 participants.
“I hope this initiative will help shape strong individuals and encourage children from all backgrounds to participate in sports,” said Chong Wei. “Badminton has always united Malaysians from every walk of life.”
Chery’s Sporting Portfolio
For Chery Malaysia, the LCWC slots into a pattern of backing national athletic milestones. The brand previously supported Malaysia’s Paris 2024 Olympic medallists and the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 contingent.
“At Chery, we believe in investing in the future of sports,” said Lee Wen Hsiang, Chery Malaysia Vice President. “As one of Malaysia’s fastest-growing international automotive brands, we are proud to support initiatives that shape the nation’s sporting future.”
BAM’s View
BAM President Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz framed the cup as necessary infrastructure for Malaysia’s talent pipeline.
“Chong Wei will always be one of BAM’s greatest success stories—not only for his achievements, but for the inspiration he continues to provide,” he said. “The Lee Chong Wei Cup is more than a tournament; it is a platform to widen access, strengthen our grassroots pipeline, and nurture the next generation of talent.”
Full tournament dates and registration details will follow in coming weeks.
LCWC 2026 at a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Groups | U13, U15, U17 |
| Disciplines | Boys’/Girls’ Singles & Doubles, Mixed Doubles |
| Target Participants | 3,200 |
| Total Prize Purse | RM100,000 |
| Top Prize | Academy Badminton Malaysia trials |
| Format | Single-leg competition |
| Official Sponsor | Chery Malaysia |
CarTok Editor’s Note
Chery isn’t investing in billboards. It’s investing in Malaysia’s sporting DNA — backing a living legend who is redirecting his competitive fire toward grassroots development. The LCWC isn’t charity; it’s smart ecosystem building. RM100,000 and Academy trials give young shuttlers something concrete to aim for, while Chery embeds itself in family conversations from Alor Setar to Kota Kinabalu.
We’ve watched Chery steadily assemble credibility since its Malaysian relaunch — first the product offensive, then the dealer expansion, and now this. Sponsoring Paris 2024 medallists showed they honour achievement. Backing Chong Wei’s youth pipeline shows they understand where achievement starts.
