Summary of this article
The 2026 BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals run from April 24 to May 3, 2026, in Horsens, Denmark
In the Thomas Cup, India are placed in Group A with China, Canada, and Australia. In the Uber Cup, India are also in Group A alongside China, Denmark, and Ukraine
India are led by PV Sindhu in the women’s team, while the men’s squad features Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, and the doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy–Chirag Shetty
India’s Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026 campaigns will begin in Horsens, Denmark, with both the men’s and women’s teams opening their group-stage journey on April 24. The men are set to face Canada in their first tie, while the women will take on hosts Denmark at the Forum Horsens.
The Thomas Cup (men) and Uber Cup (women), badminton’s biennial team world championships, offer a clear measure of a nation’s depth and overall squad balance.
India field a 10-member squad in both events. PV Sindhu leads the women’s team, while Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth head the men’s singles lineup. In doubles, the experienced pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty remain central to the men’s setup.
The tournament structure leaves little breathing space. Sixteen teams in each event are split into four groups, and every tie features five matches regardless of when a result is decided.
Only the top two teams from each group move into the knockout stage, which is played in a best-of-five format where ties can end once a side reaches three wins.
India’s men arrive with continuity at the core of their setup. The group also includes defending champions China, along with Canada and Australia, making it a competitive opening phase.
The women’s team is also placed in Group A, where they will compete against China, Denmark and Ukraine. Their campaign begins against Denmark, followed by Ukraine on April 25 and China on April 27, both scheduled for 10 PM IST.
There are a few notable changes in the women’s squad. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are unavailable due to injury-related reasons, leading to the inclusion of Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam in the doubles group.
They join Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi and Tanisha Crasto as India’s options in that department.
On the singles side, PV Sindhu leads a relatively young group that includes Unnati Hooda, Devika Sihag and junior world championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma. The mix reflects a transitional phase for the side as it looks to build depth around established names.
For the men, Lakshya Sen, Prannoy and Srikanth remain central to India’s singles structure, while the doubles combination of Satwiksairaj and Chirag continues to be a key pillar.
Youngster Ayush Shetty, fresh from a US Open title in 2025 and a runner-up finish at the 2026 Asian Championships, has also been included for his first Thomas Cup appearance.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, HS Prannoy said, “We’ve been putting in the work as a group over the last few weeks, focusing on getting our combinations right and building rhythm across departments. The Thomas Cup is always demanding, and with three tough group ties ahead, the focus is on staying sharp and taking it one match at a time.”
India’s past performances in these tournaments set the backdrop for their current campaign. The men’s team won the Thomas Cup in 2022, while the women’s team’s best runs came in 2014 and 2016, when they reached the semi-finals.
Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026: Groups
Thomas Cup Groups
Group A - China, India, Canada, Australia
Group B - Japan, Malaysia, England, Finland
Group C - Chinese Taipei, Denmark, South 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
Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026: India’s Group Stage Schedule (IST)
Thomas Cup 2026 (Men)
April 24: India vs Canada – 12:00 PM
April 27: India vs Australia – 12:00 PM
April 29: India vs China – 1:30 PM
Uber Cup 2026 (Women)
April 24: India vs Denmark – 3:30 PM
April 25: India vs Ukraine – 10:00 PM
April 27: India vs China – 10:00 PM
Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2026: Live Streaming
The Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website, while television coverage in India will be available on the Star Sports Network channels.
Thomas & Uber Cup 2026: India Badminton Squads
Men's Squad: Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Kiran George, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, MR Arjun, Dhruv Kapila
Women's Squad: PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, Kavipriya Selvam, Simran Singhi, Tanisha Crasto
When and where will the Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 start?
The Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 begins on April 24, 2026, in Horsens, Denmark.
Who will India face in the opening matches of the Thomas and Uber Cup 2026?
India open their Thomas Cup campaign against Canada, while the women begin their Uber Cup journey against hosts Denmark.
What is the difference between the Thomas Cup and the Uber Cup?
The Thomas Cup is the men’s team world championship in badminton, while the Uber Cup is the women’s team equivalent.
