South Korean men's doubles pair Kim Won-ho/Seo Seung-jae closed the 2026 All England Open finals by defending their title after defeating Malaysian representatives Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.
In the final match of the tournament which took place at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, Birmingham, England, Sunday local time, Kim/Seo won 18-21, 21-12, 21-19.
The victory made Kim/Seo the only participants to defend their title in the 2026 edition and win the world's oldest badminton tournament twice.
This result also thwarted Malaysia's bid to end its nearly two-decade All England title drought. Malaysia last won the tournament in 2007, with Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.
In the first game, Chia/Soh put on the pressure from the start, relying on fast play to force Kim/Seo into a defensive position. This strategy gave Malaysia a 6-2 lead.
Kim/Seo managed to come back and level the score at 6-6, but Chia/Soh found their rhythm again and led 11-9 at the interval.
After the break, the Malaysian pair grew in confidence with a barrage of attacks, widening their lead to 16-10. Although Kim/Seo leveled the score at 17-17, Chia/Soh still secured the first game 21-18.
