CM Cup 2026: IPL-style badminton league brings leaders, celebrities and professionals onto one court

‘9 Dreams’ and Media Connect launch CM Cup 2026 with grand player selection and jersey unveiling at Palace Grounds, promising a first-of-its-kind multi-sector badminton tournament in Karnataka.

Badminton Tournament, organised by ‘9 Dreams’ organisation in association with Media Connect. The aim of the tournament is to provide a common platform for eminent personalities from different fields to showcase their passion for sports while promoting fitness and unity.

As a prelude to the tournament, a grand player selection and jersey unveiling ceremony was held on Sunday, January 25, at White Petals, Palace Grounds. The event saw the presence of top police officials and dignitaries. DG & IGP Dr. M. A. Saleem, DGP Alok Kumar, and Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh officially released the team jerseys.

Also present at the event were Sakra World Hospital Director Dr. Srikanth Shetty and senior journalist Ponnappa, adding prominence to the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. M. A. Saleem said the IPL-style format of the badminton league was exciting and inspiring. A badminton player himself, he said the participation of officers from the police department reflected strong sporting spirit and encouraged everyone to stay healthy through sports.

DGP Alok Kumar, who also plays badminton, said the coming together of politicians, media professionals, doctors and administrators on one platform was rare and commendable. He wished the tournament great success.

The concept of CM Cup 2026 was envisioned by G. Y. Manjunath, a senior media professional with long experience across platforms including TV9. The event is supported by Media Connect, led by Divya Ranganahalli, along with CM Cup co-founder and senior journalist Sunil Dharmasthala, and several other supporters.

CM Cup 2026 stands out for its inclusive structure. Competitors include MLAs, IAS, IPS, KAS officers, police personnel, secretariat officials, doctors, film actors and actresses, and media professionals. The aim is to break professional silos and encourage collective participation in sports.

The tournament will feature eight franchise teams, each owned by different team owners. Every team will consist of 15 players, including both men and women. Importantly, players from the same profession will not play on the same team, ensuring diversity.

Each team will have a Captain, Vice-Captain, and a film industry Icon Player. Every team will include one representative each from politics, IAS, IPS, police, secretariat, medical field, media, and cinema.

The matches will be played across Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Singles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, Power Doubles, along with a new format called ‘Game Changer’.

The winning team will receive ₹7 lakh cash prize and an attractive trophy.

Key dates and venue

The CM Cup 2026 tournament will be held on February 21 (Saturday) and February 22 (Sunday) at the Karnataka Badminton Association courts.

Team owners

•    Prasanna – The Elite Badminton
•    Roopa – Esthetic Attackers
•    Narasimhamurthy – Telicom Sky Strikers
•    Lingaraju – Inspire Challengers
•    KGF Babu – KGF Strickers
•    Palani Prakash – Team Cafe Divyyam
•    Anand – Pro Win Pancher
•    Yogeesh – Sharadha Strickers

The tournament will be graced by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, and several other dignitaries.