The Indian men’s and women’s teams have been given a tough draw for the upcoming Thomas Cup and Uber Cup after being grouped with defending champions China, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced on Wednesday.
The 34th edition of the Thomas Cup and the 31st edition of the Uber Cup will be held in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.
The Indian men’s team, who made history by winning their first title in 2022, were placed in Group A alongside China, Canada and Australia. India lost to eventual champions China in the quarter-finals of the previous edition in 2024.
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The Uber Cup also sees the Indian women’s team in Group A with reigning and 16-time champions China. Denmark and Ukraine complete the group. India bowed out in the quarter-finals in the last edition, losing to Japan.
China boasts a formidable men’s line-up with Shi Yu Qi (World No. 2) and Li Shi Feng (No. 7), along with Weng Hong Yang (No. 17) and Lu Guang Zu (No. 18).
However, India will draw confidence from Lakshya Sen’s recent form, with stunning Paris 2024 semi-finalist Li Shi Feng on course for a runner-up finish at the All England Championships earlier this month.
India made history in 2022 by winning their maiden Thomas Cup title in Bangkok, becoming only the sixth country to lift the trophy after a 3-0 victory over Indonesia in the final.
India qualified for the 2026 Thomas Cup thanks to its position in the BWF men’s team rankings after the Badminton Asia Team Championships, while the women’s team secured a place in the Uber Cup through world ranking.
A total of 16 teams, divided into four groups of four, will compete in a head-to-head format, with each tie consisting of five matches (three singles and two doubles). The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Thomas Cup Draw
Group A: China, India, Canada, Australia
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, England, Finland
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Denmark, Korea, Sweden
Group D: Indonesia, France, Thailand, Algeria
Uber Cup Draw
Group A: China, India, Denmark, Ukraine
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, Turkey, South Africa
Group C: Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Canada, Australia
Group D: Korea, Thailand, Bulgaria, Spain
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
18 March 2026 18:02 IST
