France’s First Men’s Singles Champion and Mixed Doubles Gold at World Championships

At the World Badminton Championships 2026, France wrote its name into the sport’s history books. Alex Lanier, aged 21, defeated Kodai Naraoka in straight sets, 21‑11, 21‑11, to become the inaugural French men’s singles world champion. The relatively short 48‑minute battle was a showcase of power and precision.

The success was mirrored in the mixed‑doubles final where Tom Gicquel and Delphine Delru overcame China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in a tightly contested three‑set match. Their triumph lifted France’s gold tally to two for the day, a feat previously unseen for the nation at a world championship.