BWF Thomas Cup Finals 2026 teams and players to watch, including Lee Zii Jia
Thomas Cup Group A: People’s Republic of China, India, Canada, Australia
As defending champions, China are expected to breeze through the group. They can count on singles world no.1 Shi Yuqi and no.7 Li Shifeng, as well as the fifth-ranked doubles pair of Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang. India are predicted to make it through too, with the likes of Lakshya Sen, rising star Ayush Shetty, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty in their squad. Canada’s Victor Lai has enjoyed a quick rise through the world rankings following his stunning run to a bronze medal at last year’s individual World Championships, and the world no.13 will hope to help the Canadians pull off an upset or two.
Thomas Cup Group B: Japan, Malaysia, England, Finland
Japan have four men ranked in the world singles top 20, and three of them — Naraoka Kodai, Tanaka Yushi, and Watanabe Koki, head up a strong team alongside the top Japanese doubles pairing of Hoki Takuro/Kobayashi Yugo. Malaysia have added Lee Zii Jia, the former world no.2, whose injury issues have seen him tumble to his current ranking of 83rd, in their squad, but he would appear to be the fourth-choice singles player. Instead, look for their doubles pairings — three of the top seven in the world rankings are Malaysian — to lead the charge.
Thomas Cup Group C: Chinese Taipei, Denmark, Republic of Korea, Sweden
Chou Tien-chen and All England champion Lin Chun-yi are the star draws on a Chinese Taipei team which will be looking over their shoulders to avoid upsets from Denmark and the Republic of Korea. The Danes are led by world no. 3 Anders Antonsen and their top doubles selection of Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, although they are hampered by the recent injury-enforced retirement of Viktor Axelsen. Meanwhile, Republic of Korea will look to their world no.1 doubles team, Kim Wonho/Seo Seungjae, to help them progress out of the group.
Thomas Cup Group D: Indonesia, France, Thailand, Algeria
Indonesia will hope to regain a title they last won at the 2020 edition, held in 2021, with Jonatan Christie and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri among those they can call on. France, who can boast the last two men’s European champions in Christo Popov and Alex Lanier, are also no walkovers. Despite having Olympic silver medallist and 2023 world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn available to them, there are questions where Thailand have sufficient depth behind him with such a stern test ahead of them.