BAM Sponsors 2026: Who Funds Malaysian Badminton
Yonex anchors BAM to 2028 while Petronas and Perodua carry the Kuala Lumpur World Tour events. Independent stars Lee Zii Jia and Sze Fei-Izzuddin run their own deals with Victor and AIA.
BAM's anchor sponsor in 2026 is Yonex, its official equipment partner, under a deal extended in December 2024 to run until 2028. Petronas and Perodua are title partners of BAM's two World Tour events. Independent stars sign their own deals: Lee Zii Jia with Victor to 2028, and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin with Victor and AIA.
Key facts
- Yonex and BAM signed a five-year, RM55 million deal (excluding bonuses) that began in April 2021 and was originally due to run to 31 March 2026.
- On 4 December 2024, BAM and Yonex extended the partnership to 2028. The value of the extension was not disclosed.
- Petronas signed a three-year deal with BAM on 4 March 2022. The deal included the Petronas logo on national jerseys, title sponsorship of the Malaysia Open and the renaming of the national academy as Petronas ABM.
- The Petronas Malaysia Open 2026, a BWF Super 1000 event, was held at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, from 6 to 11 January 2026.
- The Perodua Malaysia Masters 2026, a Super 500 event with a USD500,000 prize pool, was held at Unifi Arena from 19 to 24 May 2026.
- BAM president Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said in January 2026 that the association needs over RM55 million a year to cover operating costs.
- Lee Zii Jia signed a four-year extension with Victor that runs through the LA 2028 Olympics.
How badminton sponsorship works in Malaysia
Malaysian badminton has two separate sponsorship markets. The first is the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). BAM runs the national team, the national academy in Bukit Kiara and its major hosted tournaments, and it sells partnership rights across all three. The second is the independent professional market. Players who have left the national set-up negotiate their own equipment, apparel and brand-ambassador deals, and sometimes receive government grants for major Games.
The two markets work differently. A BAM sponsor buys association-level visibility: logos on national jerseys, naming rights to an event or venue, and the right to say it backs the national team. An independent player's sponsor buys one athlete's image and results. That carries more risk, but the sponsor also gets more control over how the partnership is activated.
This guide covers only partners whose deals have been confirmed by BAM, the brands themselves or major Malaysian outlets. Where a figure or renewal has not been published, we say so.
Yonex: BAM's equipment partner to 2028
Yonex is the longest-running name in BAM's commercial history. According to Yonex Far East, the relationship began with a decade-long partnership in 2005. Taiwan's Victor took over in 2015 on a six-year deal worth RM60 million. Yonex returned in April 2021 on a five-year deal worth RM55 million excluding bonuses, which was due to run until 31 March 2026, as Malay Mail reported.
BAM did not wait for that deal to expire. On 4 December 2024, the association and Yonex signed an extension. BAM's announcement said the partnership would now run until 2028, the year of the Los Angeles Olympics. Under the agreement, Yonex supplies equipment to national players. It is also the official equipment supplier for the Petronas Malaysia Open, the Perodua Malaysia Masters and other BAM-organised tournaments, and it supports local and junior competitions, including the Junior Elite Tour. The value of the extension has not been disclosed.
| Period | Equipment partner | Published terms |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 to c.2015 | Yonex | Decade-long partnership (value not stated in sources reviewed) |
| 2015 to 2021 | Victor | Six years, RM60 million |
| April 2021 to March 2026 (original term) | Yonex | Five years, RM55 million excluding bonuses |
| Extension signed 4 Dec 2024, to 2028 | Yonex | Value not disclosed |
Petronas: jersey, academy and Malaysia Open title partner
On 4 March 2022, BAM signed a three-year agreement with Petronas and its subsidiary Petronas Dagangan Berhad. Then-BAM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria called it "the biggest sponsorship since the establishment of BAM", as Malay Mail reported. The package covered:
- the Petronas logo on national team jerseys, starting at the 2022 All England Championships;
- title sponsorship of the Malaysia Open;
- renaming Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara as Petronas ABM;
- support for player preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics and for BAM's development programmes.
No value was disclosed. The original deal was for three years, but the Malaysia Open has kept the Petronas name. BAM promoted the 2026 edition as the "PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2026", played at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, from 6 to 11 January 2026. It is one of only four BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournaments, and season passes cost between RM282 and RM2,000. The terms of any renewal or extension of the 2022 agreement were not confirmed in the sources we reviewed.
Perodua: title partner of the Malaysia Masters
BAM's second World Tour event carries the name of Malaysian carmaker Perodua. According to BAM, the Perodua Malaysia Masters 2026 was a BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament held at Unifi Arena, Bukit Jalil, from 19 to 24 May 2026, with prize money of USD500,000. BAM did not publish the value of the title partnership.
| Event (2026) | Title partner | Level | Dates and venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petronas Malaysia Open | Petronas | BWF Super 1000 | 6–11 January, Axiata Arena |
| Perodua Malaysia Masters | Perodua | BWF Super 500 (USD500,000) | 19–24 May, Unifi Arena |
Why BAM needs more sponsorship
Malaysian badminton costs a lot to run. On 10 January 2026, Bernama reported BAM president Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz as saying the association needs over RM55 million a year for operating costs. BAM spent about RM54 million in 2025 up to November. Player and coach pay plus tournament participation account for slightly more than half of costs, excluding the cost of hosting tournaments.
Tengku Zafrul said BAM must strengthen its brand to attract more sponsorship. The same council meeting discussed raising junior player allowances, then about RM400 to RM600 a month, to as much as RM1,000 per player, plus racket string allowances totalling RM400,000. The numbers explain BAM's commercial pressure. By the published figures, the original Yonex deal was worth roughly RM11 million a year, which covers only a fraction of an annual budget above RM55 million.
National players: who stays inside the BAM umbrella
Players on BAM contracts appear under the association's sponsors, including Yonex equipment and the national jersey. BAM's promotion for the 2026 Malaysia Open featured national pairs Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah.
In July 2025, The Sun reported that Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah had extended their commitment to BAM through to the LA 2028 Olympics. For BAM's partners, that means the women's doubles pair will keep appearing under association branding for the rest of the Olympic cycle.
Independent players and their sponsors
Lee Zii Jia: Victor to 2028
Lee Zii Jia left BAM in early 2022 to play independently. On 24 February 2022, Malay Mail reported that he had signed with Victor, which called it his "second journey" with the brand. The deal's terms were not disclosed. In December 2024, the NST reported a four-year extension with Victor through the LA 2028 Olympics, including a co-branded VICTOR X LZJ collection of racquet bags, T-shirts and wristbands. No value was published.
Independent players can also receive public money. In July 2024, the NST reported that the Sports Ministry, through the National Sports Council, gave a RM300,000 grant to Lee Zii Jia, fellow independent shuttler Goh Jin Wei and golfers Gavin Green and Ashley Lau for Paris Olympics preparation.
Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin: Victor and AIA by Vitality
Men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani left the national team at the end of August 2024. Victor named them as ambassadors on 1 September, the day after their release, according to the NST. At the time, Victor's other Malaysian players included Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing.
In June 2026 the pair added a non-endemic sponsor, meaning a brand from outside badminton. On 10 June 2026, the NST reported that they had become brand ambassadors for insurance and takaful provider AIA by Vitality, announced at a badminton clinic in Subang Jaya. The report described them as independent, ranked world No. 6 and fresh from winning the Indonesia Open. It added that they have won titles at every World Tour level, from Super 100 to Super 1000. The terms were not disclosed.
| Player(s) | Status | Confirmed sponsors | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Zii Jia | Independent since 2022 | Victor | Extension through LA 2028 |
| Goh Sze Fei / Nur Izzuddin Rumsani | Independent since 2024 | Victor; AIA by Vitality (ambassadors) | Not disclosed |
| Pearly Tan / M. Thinaah | BAM contract | Under BAM partners | To LA 2028 Olympics |
What to watch next
There are three things to watch. First, whether BAM announces new or renewed headline partners as Tengku Zafrul's administration tries to close the gap between sponsorship income and a budget above RM55 million. Second, the 2027 Malaysia Open: its dates and title partner had not been confirmed by BAM at the time of writing. Third, the independents. Brands outside badminton, such as AIA, signing successful pairs shows that insurance, finance and lifestyle companies now see top Malaysian shuttlers as marketing assets in their own right, separate from the national team.
FAQ
Who is BAM's main sponsor in 2026?
Yonex is BAM's equipment and official sponsor partner. Its deal was extended on 4 December 2024 to run until 2028. The previous Yonex agreement, signed in April 2021, was worth RM55 million over five years excluding bonuses. Petronas and Perodua are title partners of BAM's two World Tour events, the Malaysia Open and the Malaysia Masters.
How much is BAM's Yonex sponsorship worth?
The April 2021 deal was reported at RM55 million over five years, excluding bonuses, running to 31 March 2026. That works out to about RM11 million a year on average. The extension to 2028, signed in December 2024, has no published value. Before Yonex returned, Victor sponsored BAM under a six-year, RM60 million deal that began in 2015.
Is Petronas still the Malaysia Open title sponsor?
The 2026 edition, held from 6 to 11 January 2026 at Axiata Arena, was promoted by BAM as the Petronas Malaysia Open. Petronas originally signed a three-year deal with BAM in March 2022 covering jerseys, the academy and Malaysia Open title rights. The terms of any renewal beyond that were not confirmed in sources reviewed at the time of writing.
Who sponsors Lee Zii Jia?
Victor. Lee Zii Jia joined the Taiwanese brand when he turned independent in February 2022. In December 2024 he signed a four-year extension running through the LA 2028 Olympics, which includes a co-branded VICTOR X LZJ merchandise collection. The value has not been disclosed. He also shared a RM300,000 Sports Ministry grant with three other athletes before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Who sponsors Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin?
The independent men's doubles pair have been Victor ambassadors since 1 September 2024, the day after leaving the national team. On 10 June 2026 the NST reported that they had also become brand ambassadors for insurance and takaful provider AIA by Vitality. Financial terms for both deals have not been made public.
Sources
- Smashing into the future: BAM extend partnership with Yonex until 2028 (BAM)
- Yonex celebrates its extended partnership with BAM (Yonex Far East, 5 Dec 2024)
- BAM signs its biggest sponsorship deal with Petronas (Malay Mail, 4 Mar 2022)
- BAM announce new partnership with Petronas (Stadium Astro, 4 Mar 2022)
- Petronas Malaysia Open 2026 tickets go on sale November 3 (BAM)
- Perodua Malaysia Masters 2026 ready to electrify Unifi Arena (BAM)
- BAM needs over RM55 million a year, says Tengku Zafrul (Bernama, 10 Jan 2026)
- Zii Jia joins forces with Taiwanese firm Victor (Malay Mail, 24 Feb 2022)
- Victor power Zii Jia's Olympic dreams through 2028 (NST, Dec 2024)
- Sze Fei-Izzuddin join Zii Jia at Victor (NST, Sept 2024)
- Sze Fei-Izzuddin add 'corporate power' to their smash (NST, 10 June 2026)
- Pearly-Thinaah sign new BAM contract until LA 2028 Olympics (The Sun, 10 July 2025)
- Zii Jia and three other Malaysian pros get RM300,000 grant (NST, July 2024)
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