KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia have been handed a favourable draw in the Thomas Cup Finals 2026, with Japan shaping up as their main rivals in the race to reach the knockout stages.
The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup Finals will be held in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.
Based on the group stage draw held at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) headquarters here today, the national men's team, pitted in Group B, will also have to contend with England and Finland.
But it's the 2026 Badminton Asia Team Championships winners, Japan, who are set to pose a serious threat to Malaysia, as they boast a balanced squad.
In singles, Japan can rely on the likes of Kodai Naraoka (world number nine), Yushi Tanaka (world number 19) and Koki Watanabe (world number 21).
Although Naraoka has struggled so far this season, Japan can still bank on the two standout performers who helped them clinch their maiden Asian team title: Tanaka and Watanabe.
Tanaka is also fresh off a victory at the Swiss Open 2026, while Watanabe distinguished himself as the only Japanese shuttler to reach the quarter-finals of the All England 2026 in Birmingham.
Malaysia, on the other hand, look a bit lightweight in the singles category, as the likely candidates - Leong Jun Hao (world number 23), Justin Hoh (world number 38) and professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia (world number 86) - have all endured an underwhelming season thus far.
But what Malaysia lack in singles, they more than make up for in doubles, boasting three pairs in the world's top 10: 2022 world champions and world number two Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, world number six Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun and world number seven Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
This is in stark contrast to Japan, whose primary threat remains the 2021 world champions, Hoki-Kobayashi (world number eight). Their other two pairs are likely to be Hidori Midorikawa-Kyohei Yamashita (world number 19) and Kakeru Kumagai-Hiroki Nishi (world number 27).
With the top two teams from each of the four groups advancing to the quarter-finals, Malaysia will need to tread with caution against England as well.
Although not as formidable as Japan, England did finish third in the 2026 European Men's Team Badminton Championships, and are expected to unleash their top doubles pair of Ben Lane and Sean Vendy.
Lane-Vendy have proven to be a bane for Malaysia, having beaten Malaysia's top pairs, including 2022 world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and professional duo Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
Having said that, Malaysia should have enough firepower to get past England, as well as Finland, to check into the last eight with Japan from Group B.
Meanwhile, the national women’s squad also received a favourable draw in the Uber Cup Finals.
The Malaysian women, who have been drawn into Group B alongside six-time champions Japan, Turkiye and South Africa, stand a strong chance of marching into the knockout stages for the first time since the 2010 edition, provided they secure decisive wins against Turkiye and South Africa.
Malaysia last won the Thomas Cup in 1992 here, while the national women’s team have yet to win the Uber Cup.
Following is the full draw for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2026:
Thomas Cup
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Group A: China, India, Canada, Australia
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, England, Finland
Group C: Taiwan, Denmark, South Korea, Sweden
Group D: Indonesia, France, Thailand, Algeria
Uber Cup
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Group A: China, India, Denmark, Ukraine
Group B: Japan, Malaysia, Turkiye, South Africa
Group C: Taiwan, Indonesia, Canada, Australia
Group D: South Korea, Thailand, Bulgaria, Spain
-- BERNAMA
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