Indian Teams Drawn with China in 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup Groups
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Key Takeaways
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) The Indian men's and women's badminton teams have received a favorable draw for the group stages of the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup championships, which will take place in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.
Both teams, seeded eighth in the competition due to their players' world rankings, find themselves in Group A with the defending champions and top seeds, China.
Having claimed the Thomas Cup title in 2022, India is expected to secure one of the two quarterfinal berths from Group A, which also includes the Pan Am champions, Canada, and the Oceania champions, Australia.
On the other hand, the women's team faces a more challenging path to the knockout rounds, competing against European team championship runners-up Denmark and bronze medallists Ukraine.
"We've received a solid draw and have a good chance of reaching the quarterfinals in both the Thomas and Uber Cup competitions. Our team is strong and has demonstrated that they can defeat any top contender on their day. Once we reach the quarterfinals, anything can happen," stated BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra in response to the draw for these prestigious championships.
The Indian men's team made history by winning the Thomas Cup in 2022, while the women's team secured bronze medals in both the 2014 and 2016 editions.
This upcoming Thomas Cup will be the 34th edition of the tournament, whereas the Uber Cup will mark its 31st edition. A total of 16 teams will compete in each tournament, divided into four groups of four teams.
Each group will have teams facing off in ties comprising five matches - three singles and two doubles. The top two nations from each group will progress to the quarter-finals.
In the previous Thomas & Uber Cup held in Chengdu in 2024, the Indian men's team was eliminated in the quarter-finals by the eventual champions, China, while the women's team was ousted by Japan.
Indonesia holds the record for the most Thomas Cup titles with 14, whereas China is the most successful team in the Uber Cup with 16 titles.
Thomas Cup groups:
Group A: China, India, Canada, Australia
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, England, Finland
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Denmark, Republic of Korea, Sweden
Group D: Indonesia, France, Thailand, Algeria
Uber Cup groups:
Group A: China, India, Denmark, Ukraine
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, Turkiye, South Africa
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Canada, Australia
Group D: South Korea, Thailand, Bulgaria, Spain