Denmark heats up the race to the knockout stage. As the group stage of the Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 in Horsens, Denmark, draws to a close, several of the world’s top badminton nations have already secured their spots in the knockout stage.

China and India secured their places in the Thomas and Uber Cup quarterfinals as the group stage concludes in Denmark. Defending champions China won their first two ties to lock in a knockout spot. Several nations now face win-or-bust matches to join them.

In the men’s event, the 34th edition of the Thomas Cup, the defending champions, the People’s Republic of China and former winners India have qualified for the knockout stage from Group A. Both teams won their first two ties to qualify with matches to spare.

Group B has also had its qualifiers. Japan and Malaysia secured their places in the quarter-finals due to their strong form in the group stages. Their consistency guaranteed a smooth passage into the knockout rounds.

Group C hosts Denmark, who have already secured their place in the last eight. The fight for second place remains wide open, with the Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei still in the mix. They face off in a crucial showdown on Wednesday.

In Group D, record 14-time champions Indonesia have lived up to their billing. They have won their first two matches and booked their place in the next round.

France and Thailand remain tied in the race for the second qualification spot ahead of their final group matches on Tuesday.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for Thursday (April 30), and the competition is set to get tougher as the leading teams take a step closer to the title.

Final Group Battles to Decide Remaining Spots for Thomas Cup and Uber Cup

Some spots in the knockout phase are still up for grabs even though several teams have already qualified. Attention now turns to Group C and Group D where vital ties still have to be played to determine the final quarter-finalists.

The Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei will fight for the last place in Group C, while France and Thailand are in a similar win-or-bust situation in Group D. These matches will not only determine who progresses but could also determine the quarter-final pairings.

Now, with the tournament heading into its final phase, every rally counts. The stakes keep rising while the margins keep shrinking.

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Written by

Chitrak Mukherjee

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi