Maldives’ premier badminton club, Revival Sports, will open the 2026 competitive season with a historic appearance at the Azerbaijan International Challenge 2026, marking the team’s first participation in a Challenge-level tournament and its debut on the European badminton circuit.

Scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 3–8 February 2026, the tournament represents a significant milestone in Revival Sports’ development as a high-performance club competing on the international stage.

Four Revival Sports high-performance athletes will represent the Maldives at the event. The team will depart for Azerbaijan on 31 January 2026 and return on 10 February 2026, with Head Coach Mohamed Nashfan accompanying the squad throughout the tournament.

Revival Sports will compete across all major categories. In Men’s Singles, Nibal Ahmed and Zayan Zaki will take to the courts, while Aminath Nabeeha (Naba) and Fathimath Nabaha (Naby) will contest the Women’s Singles events. Nibal and Zayan will pair up in Men’s Doubles, with Naba and Naby competing in Women’s Doubles. The Mixed Doubles events will feature the pairings of Zayan and Naba, as well as Nibal and Naby.

The team enters the Azerbaijan International Challenge carrying strong international momentum following an impressive tour of Southern Africa last year. Revival Sports represented the Maldives during a critical period for the sport, competing under a special exemption granted by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which allowed Maldivian athletes to continue international participation while the Badminton Association of the Maldives (BAM) was under suspension. The suspension was lifted in early December.

Despite the challenges surrounding the sport at the time, Revival Sports delivered an outstanding performance, securing a total of seven medals across three tournaments, one gold, three silver, and three bronze.

At the Zambia International, Zayan and Naba captured gold in Mixed Doubles, while Naba and Fathimath Nabaha (Naby) claimed silver in Women’s Doubles.

The success continued at the Botswana International, where Zayan and Naba earned bronze in Mixed Doubles and Naba and Naby added another silver in Women’s Doubles. The tour concluded at the South Africa International, with Zayan and Naba securing bronze in Mixed Doubles, Naba winning bronze in Women’s Singles, and Naba alongside Naby claiming silver in Women’s Doubles.

As Revival Sports prepares for its first Challenge-level appearance in Europe, the Azerbaijan International Challenge 2026 marks another important step in the club’s mission to elevate Maldivian badminton and gain valuable exposure against elite international competition.