The 24-year-old world number three will be the top draw in the Super 750 World Tour competition at the Odense Sports Park.

Axelsen won the World Championship in 2017 and the man who replaced him as the global winner this year, Japan's Kento Momota, will challenge him on his home turf.

Momota, the second seed despite being world number one, has also claimed major victories in Japan and Indonesia this season after continuing his return from a year-long gambling ban.

China's reigning Olympic champion Chen Long is also in the draw, seeded sixth, alongside his compatriot Shi Yuqi, this year's World Championship runner-up who is ranked third.

India's defending champion Srikanth Kidambi is seeded eighth.

The women's draw also includes a host of big names, including reigning Olympic and world champion Carolina Marin, the fifth seed.

Chinese Taipei's world number one Tai Tzu-ying is top seed, with Japan's world bronze medallist Akane Yamaguchi ranked second.

India's PV Sindhu, a silver medallist at the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, is seeded third with former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand at four.

Intanon won the competition last year when it was still known as the Denmark Super Series Premier.

Competition in Odense will continue until Sunday (October 21).