From January 29th to February 1st, 2026, the German badminton scene is looking to Cloppenburg in Lower Saxony: the 2026 German Championships will be held there. For many athletes, the journey there has long since begun – because the starting places are awarded through several qualification paths.
Automatically qualified: the defending champions
Regardless of rankings or qualifying tournaments, the reigning German champions in their respective disciplines are automatically qualified for the 2026 DM.
Qualification via the German rankings
The most important route to the DM is via the German rankings. The best 20 players in each discipline qualify directly for the championships in Cloppenburg. This field is supplemented by the best eight athletes in the U19 rankings, who also secure a starting place.
Group championships as a last chance
The starting places that are still open will be awarded through the group championships that will take place next weekend. In the four groups North, West, Central and Southeast, the athletes are fighting for the last tickets to the German Championships: In singles, each group can allocate eight places, in doubles and mixed there are six starting places per group. This means that the group championships are the decisive stage for many players on the way to the DM 2026.
Experience the German championships live – secure your tickets now
Anyone who is not on the field but would still like to experience badminton at the highest national level naturally has the opportunity to be there live as a fan. Tickets for the German Championships 2026 are available online at: www.badminton-events.de
