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The Orléans Masters 2026 is running from 17 to 22 March 2026 at the Palais des Sports in Orléans, France. Main draw matches are underway now. In Malaysian time (GMT+8), matches typically begin from around 6:00 PM MYT on weekdays, with finals on Sunday 22 March. It's a BWF World Tour Super 300 event with USD 240,000 in prize money.
This one is happening right now, Malaysians. The Orléans Masters is already in full swing in France, and there's plenty to root for — even after Lee Zii Jia's early exit yesterday. The main draw kicked off on Wednesday 18 March, and it runs all the way through to the finals on Sunday 22 March.
Time-wise, since France is on Central European Time (CET = UTC+1), matches come on at a fairly civilised hour. Expect prime-time evening action from around 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM MYT on most days — perfect for watching from your couch with your phone in hand.
Malaysian fans can watch the Orléans Masters 2026 live on Astro Badminton (Channel 815) or stream it on Sooka. CelcomDigi subscribers get Sooka access via Mega Add-Ons from RM8.90/month, or through StreamMORE (first month FREE) and SpeedSTREAM for Prepaid users.
Badminton fans in Malaysia are well-served here. Astro holds the BWF broadcast rights, so you can tune in on TV or stream the whole thing live on Sooka — no VPN needed, no sketchy streams. Here's the full breakdown:
| Platform | Channel / Access | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Astro (TV) | Astro Badminton (Ch 815) + Astro Arena | Sports Pack required |
| Sooka (Streaming) ⭐ | Astro Badminton + Astro Arena live | Via CelcomDigi — most flexible option |
| BWF TV (YouTube) | Free stream (selected matches) | May be geo-blocked for some regions |
If you're on CelcomDigi, Sooka is honestly the easiest way to go. You get the full Astro Badminton channel — live matches, replays, the works — right on your phone or TV. Perfect for catching the 6 PM+ evening sessions whenever they drop. Three ways to get Sooka via CelcomDigi:
| Add-On | Best for | Key perk |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Add-Ons | Postpaid users | From RM8.90/month, 12-month bundle |
| StreamMORE | Postpaid & Prepaid | 1st month FREE + bonus data |
| SpeedSTREAM | Prepaid users | Unlimited streaming data |
Malaysia has a strong doubles presence at the Orléans Masters 2026. Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are the headline act after their All England final run earlier this month. Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan are also in contention in women's doubles. Lee Zii Jia, unfortunately, was knocked out in qualifying on 17 March.
Let's get into it — here's the full rundown of who's flying the Jalur Gemilang in Orléans this week.
The big news coming into this tournament was Lee Zii Jia. The Paris 2024 bronze medallist had been using this European swing — the Swiss Open and Orléans Masters — as part of his comeback from a serious back injury. He made it through the first qualifying round against India's S. Sankar Muthusamy, but fell to China's Dong Tian Yao in the second. A frustrating result, but par for the course as he rebuilds his form and ranking (currently world No. 86) ahead of the Thomas Cup.
The good news? Malaysia's doubles game is firing on all cylinders right now. Keep reading.
It's been a strong start to 2026 for Malaysian badminton. Pearly-Thinaah and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei both won titles at the Indonesia Masters in January. Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik reached the All England final in March — losing narrowly to Korea's top pair. Overall, Malaysia's doubles units are in career-best form heading into Orléans.
Red-hot form. Reached their third All England final (lost 19-21 to Korea's Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae), continuing their status as one of the world's most consistent men's doubles pairs. Still hunting that elusive All England crown — Orléans is a good chance to keep momentum going.
The pair everyone is watching. Their Indonesia Masters win in January made history — first Malaysian women's doubles pair to take the title in 15 years. Then at the All England, they went all the way to the semis for the first time ever. They're peaking at just the right time and come to Orléans with genuine title ambitions.
The reigning World Champions started 2026 in style — winning the Indonesia Masters in a dramatic comeback final against Denmark. Their All England campaign was a blip; Tang Jie-Ee Wei are far too good to be judged by one bad result. Orléans is the kind of Super 300 tournament they've historically excelled at — expect a deep run.
The pair making everyone sit up and take notice. Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun have been a revelation this season — three consecutive quarter-final appearances shows this is no fluke. They're already confirmed for the Thomas Cup squad. Orléans is a big chance to finally break through to a semi-final and make a serious statement.
Fell at the qualifying hurdle — losing to China's Dong Tian Yao after a six-month injury lay-off last year. Still working to rebuild his ranking and rhythm. He will be part of Malaysia's Thomas Cup squad after reaching an agreement with BAM. The comeback road is long, but the intent is there.
Beyond Malaysia, the Orléans Masters 2026 features Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei as men's singles top seed and defending champion Alex Lanier of France. In mixed doubles, French favourites Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue — fresh from their All England title — are the team to beat.
Arrived in Orléans with serious momentum. If they can convert quality into silverware, this could be their breakout week.
On a career-defining hot streak. An Orléans title would make this their best season ever — and it's only March.
The world's best mixed doubles pair coming to bounce back. Don't write them off — ever.
Just won the All England on home soil (France's home crowd will be backing them). The pair to beat in XD — a potential Tang Jie rematch is on the cards.
The Orléans Masters is one of the last major individual ranking events before the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in April-May 2026 in Horsens, Denmark. Strong results here — especially for Malaysia's doubles pairs — help cement squad spots and serve as vital preparation for one of the biggest team events in badminton.
Context matters here. This isn't just another tournament on the calendar. The Thomas Cup Finals are just five weeks away (24 April – 3 May, Horsens, Denmark) and every ranking point counts. Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun are already confirmed for the Thomas Cup squad — Orléans is about building momentum and match rhythm.
For Pearly-Thinaah and Tang Jie-Ee Wei, the Uber Cup and Thomas Cup represent a chance to add team gold to what's already shaping up to be an extraordinary year. A run to the Orléans final — or a title — would be the perfect confidence booster heading into Denmark.
As for Lee Zii Jia — the qualifying exit stings, but he has confirmed his place in the Thomas Cup squad after rejoining BAM's setup. His focus will now shift fully to that team event rather than individual ranking points.
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Malaysia should secure at least one semi-final appearance, with Aaron-Wooi Yik and Pearly-Thinaah the most likely candidates to go deepest. Don't be surprised if Tang Jie-Ee Wei bounce back hard after their All England first-round exit. This could be a bumper Malaysian showing at Orléans.
The form is genuinely there. Pearly-Thinaah in particular look like the real deal right now — they've gone from perennial quarter-finalists to genuine title contenders at every tournament they enter. A Super 300 event like Orléans, without the biggest seeds from China and Korea at full strength across all categories, is exactly the kind of draw they need to go all the way.
Aaron-Wooi Yik are another major contender. The men's doubles draw at a Super 300 is less stacked than an All England or Malaysia Open — their world-class quality should see them through to at least the quarters, if not further. A title here ahead of the Thomas Cup? That would be the perfect statement.
Our bold call: Pearly-Thinaah to win the women's doubles title. Tang Jie-Ee Wei to reach the final. Aaron-Wooi Yik at least semi-finals. Man-Tee to break their quarter-final ceiling and reach the semis. Malaysia flag flying high by Sunday 22 March.
The Orléans Masters is held in France (CET = UTC+1), which is 7 hours behind Malaysian time (MYT = UTC+8). Matches on weekdays typically begin from around 6:00 PM MYT and run through to 11:00 PM MYT or later. Finals day (Sunday 22 March) usually starts from around 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM MYT. Check the Astro Badminton schedule or Sooka for the live listings.
The Orléans Masters 2026 is available on Astro Badminton (Channel 815) and Astro Arena. You can also stream all matches live on Sooka — Malaysia's leading sports streaming app — which is accessible to CelcomDigi subscribers. Sooka carries Astro Badminton as part of its live sports lineup.
Lee Zii Jia entered the tournament but was eliminated in the qualifying rounds on 17 March, losing to China's Dong Tian Yao 21-18, 21-14. He had beaten India's Sankar Muthusamy in the first qualifying round, but couldn't make it through. He will not feature in the main draw. His next major event is likely the Thomas Cup Finals in April-May 2026.
As of Wednesday 18 March, Malaysia's main draw representatives are: Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (men's doubles), Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun (men's doubles), Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah (women's doubles), and Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles). The main draw runs from 18–22 March 2026.
CelcomDigi subscribers can access Sooka through three add-on options: Mega Add-Ons (from RM8.90/month, for Postpaid users), StreamMORE (1st month FREE + bonus data, available for Postpaid and Prepaid), or SpeedSTREAM (unlimited streaming data for Prepaid users). Once subscribed, simply download the Sooka app, log in with your CelcomDigi account, and find Astro Badminton (Ch 815) or Astro Arena in the Live TV section. Visit celcomdigi.com/lifestyle/sooka to get started.
The Orléans Masters is an annual badminton tournament held in Orléans, France, at the Palais des Sports. It is a BWF World Tour Super 300 event — one of 29 tournaments on the 2026 BWF World Tour circuit — with a total prize pool of USD 240,000. It has been held since 1994 and became a Super 300 event in 2023. The 2026 edition is the 32nd edition of the tournament.
This European swing — Orléans Masters, then straight into the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in April — is shaping up to be one of the most exciting stretches of Malaysian badminton in years. The doubles pairs are on fire, and there's genuine medal potential across three categories simultaneously. That doesn't happen often.
The best way to follow every match without missing anything? Stream it live on Sooka via CelcomDigi. Astro Badminton is your 24/7 home for live BWF World Tour action — from the Orléans main draw this week, right through to the finals on Sunday 22 March.
👉 Subscribe to Sooka via CelcomDigi now — and follow Malaysia's badminton heroes all the way to Sunday.
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