Only three countries have ever won the Thomas Cup.

The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles or two opposing pairs (doubles who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court The Badminton World Federation ( BWF) is the international governing body for the Sport of Badminton. The championships have been conducted every two years since the 1982 tournament, amended from being conducted every three years since the first tournament held in 1948-1949. The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world

The final phase of the tournament involves twelve teams competing at venues within the host nation. The final phase of the tournament is also often known as the Thomas & Uber Cup, because it is played concurrently with the women's championships, the Uber Cup (organized since 1956-1957), as a single extravaganza held at the same time and same venue beginning in 1984. The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international Badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams The 1957 Uber Cup was the inaugural Uber Cup; a women's Badminton tournament created by Betty Uber However, this unification will exist for final time in the 2008 tournament, as the BWF has already announced that each championship will be held separately again beginning in 2010. The 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 25th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 22nd tournament of the Uber Cup, the men's and women's team competition in Badminton ^[1]

In the twenty-four Thomas Cup tournaments held since 1948-1949, only three nations have won the title. Indonesia is the most successful team, having won the tournament thirteen times. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The current cup holder, China, which did not begin to compete until the 1981-1982 series, follows Indonesia with seven titles, while Malaysia has won five titles. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions Thomas Cup and, to a lesser extent, Uber Cup are probably the world's "biggest" regularly held badminton events in terms of player and fan interest, trumping major tournaments for individual competitors such as the venerable All-England Championships, the biennial BWF World Championships, and even the badminton competitions at the Olympic Games. The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious Badminton tournaments The BWF World Championships (formerly known as IBF World Championships, also known as the World Badminton Championships) is a tournament organized by the Badminton The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games

The 2008 Thomas Cup was contested in Jakarta, Indonesia. The 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 25th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 22nd tournament of the Uber Cup, the men's and women's team competition in Badminton Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia.

History

First Thomas Cup

Main article: 1949 Thomas Cup

The Thomas Cup competition was the idea of Sir George Alan Thomas, a highly successful English badminton player of the early 1900's, who was inspired by tennis's Davis Cup, and football's (soccer's) World Cup first held in 1930. The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world Sir George Alan Thomas, Bart (born Therapia, Turkey; June 14, 1881 – July 23 1972) was a British Chess The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's Tennis. The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the first FIFA World Cup, the world championship for international football teams His idea was well received at the general meeting of the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation) in 1939. ^[2][3]

In the same year, Sir George presented the Thomas Cup, officially known as The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup, produced by Atkin Bros of London at a cost of US$40,000. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The Cup stands 28 inches high and 16 inches across at its widest, and consists of three parts: a plinth (pedestal), a bowl, and a lid with player figure ^[3][4].

The first tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 (badminton seasons in the northern hemisphere traditionally ran from the autumn of one calendar year to the spring of the next), but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents. Sir George's dream was finally realized in 1948-1949 when ten national teams participated in the first Thomas Cup competition. Three qualifying zones were established: Pan America, Europe, and the Pacific; though Malaya (now Malaysia) was the only Pacific zone participant. The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and In a format that would last until 1984, all ties (matches between nations) would consist of nine individual matches; the victorious nation needing to win at least five of these contests. The top two singles player on each side faced both of the top two players on the opposite side, accounting for four matches. A fifth singles match took place between the third ranked singles players on each team. Finally, two doubles pairings on each side played both of the doubles pairings on the opposite side, accounting for four more matches. Each tie was normally contested over two days, four matches on the first day and five on the next. The United States and Denmark won their respective zone qualifications and thus joined Malaya for the inter-zone ties. The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international Badminton team competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions

The inter-zone ties were held in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located As the tournament used a knockout (single elimination) system, rather than a round-robin system, one country, Denmark, was given a bye in the first round. A round-robin tournament or all-play-all tournament is a type of group tournament in which each participant plays every other participant an equal number of times Malaya defeated the USA 6–3 in a highly competitive match played in Glasgow, Scotland (curiously, none of the players on either side had ever seen any of the players on the other side play before). Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Of note, this tie marked the first of only three ever matches between the USA's Dave Freeman and Malaya's Wong Peng Soon the two greatest singles players of the early post-war period. Dr David G Freeman ( 6 September 1920 &ndash 28 June 2001) was an American Badminton player from California who became In the final round held in Preston, England, Malaya beat Denmark 8–1 and became the first nation to win a Thomas Cup^[5]. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Development

During the next several Thomas Cup competitions the number of participating nations grew and a fourth qualifying zone was added. The former Pacific zone was converted into Asian and Australasian zones for the 1954-1955 tournament. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Beginning with the second tournament in 1951-1952, zone winners contested to determine a challenger for the reigning champion nation. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Until 1964 the Cup-holding nation always hosted these inter-zone ties but was exempt from them, and from the earlier intra-zone matches, needing only to defend its title, at home, in a single, conclusive challenge round tie.

With veterans such as Wong Peng Soon. Ooi Teik Hock, and Ong Poh Lim leading the way Malaya comfortably retained the Cup in Singapore against the USA (7–2) in 1952 and Denmark (8–1) in 1955. Ooi Teik Hock was a Malayan Badminton player who won Malayan national titles and represented his country in team and individual competition between 1939 and 1958 Ong Poh Lim (1922 - 2003 was a Malayan/Singaporean Badminton player who won numerous national and international titles from the late 1940's to the early 1960's The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Malaya's reign, however, was ended in 1958 (3 matches to 6) by upstart Indonesia led by Ferry Sonneville and Tan Joe Hok. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the Ferry Sonneville ( 3 January 1931 &ndash 20 November 2003) was an Indonesian Badminton player noted for his touch consistency Tan Joe Hok ( Hendra Kartanegara,) (born August 11, 1937) is an Indonesian Badminton hero who along with Ferry Sonneville Indonesia successfully defended its title in 1961 against a young team from Thailand which had surprised Denmark in the inter-zone final. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (Its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international Badminton team competitions ^[6]

Amid some complaints of home court advantage (and "home climate" advantage as far as the Europeans were concerned), a rules change effective in 1964 prevented the reigning champion nation from defending the Cup at home twice in succession. The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) The challenge round played in Tokyo, Japan that year was nonetheless controversial because the Danish challengers were barracked and severely harassed during play by young Indonesian fans. The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions A narrow 5–4 Indonesian victory was upheld by the IBF (BWF) over Danish protest. When the challenge round returned to Jakarta in 1967 a resurgent Malaysia led Indonesia 4-3 (despite the spectacular debut of Indonesia's young Rudy Hartono) when crowd interference during the eighth match prompted tournament referee Herbert Scheele to halt play. The 1967 Thomas Cup was the 7th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world Rudy Hartono Kurniawan (born August 18, 1949) was an Indonesian Badminton player of Han Chinese descent who won the World Championship When Indonesia rejected an IBF (BWF) decision to resume the contest in New Zealand, Malaysia was awarded the outstanding matches (6–3) and with them the Thomas Cup. ^[7]

After 1967 the IBF (BWF) further reduced the advantages accorded to the defending champion by eliminating the old challenge round system. Instead, the Cup defender would receive a bye only to an inter-zone semifinal berth and then have to earn its way into the decisive final match. This change, however, proved to be little obstacle for a rampant Indonesia. With a cadre of talented players including Hartono and doubles wizards such as Tjun Tjun and Christian Hadinata, Indonesia dominated Thomas Cup competition throughout the seventies. Rudy Hartono Kurniawan (born August 18, 1949) was an Indonesian Badminton player of Han Chinese descent who won the World Championship Tjun Tjun is a former Badminton player from Indonesia. Though a world class level singles player early in his career he became a brilliant doubles specialist Christian Hadinata (born Purwokerto, Central Java, 11 December 1949) is a former Indonesian Badminton player Its march to victory in 1969-1970 was a struggle, but in the competitions ending in 1973, 1976, and 1979 Indonesia swept its ties by winning a remarkable 51 of 54 individual matches. The 1970 Thomas Cup was the 8th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world The 1973 Thomas Cup was the 9th edition of the Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup The 1976 Thomas Cup was the 10th edition of Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup The 1979 Thomas Cup was the 11th edition of the Thomas Cup competition the world championship of men's international team Badminton. ^[8]

In 1982, however, China burst on to the scene as a new member of the IBF (BWF). The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association Having long since developed players as good as, or better than, any in the world (especially in singles), China defeated Indonesia in a classic 5–4 final in London. Thus began an era continuing to the present which has seen either China or Indonesia capture or retain the Cup. The pattern has been broken only once, by Malaysia in 1992. The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 17th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 14th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions

Revised format

In the early 1980's the IBF (BWF) revamped the formats of both Thomas Cup and the women's world team championship, the Uber Cup. The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international Badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams Starting in 1984 they were held concurrently, every two years not three, with equivalent phases of the two competitions held at the same venues and times. The 1984 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 13th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 10th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions Ties at all stages of the Thomas Cup were trimmed from nine matches to five, played in one day not two. Lineups continued to consist of three singles players and two doubles teams, but each now played a single match against the opposing team's counterpart.

Qualification

The old knockout (single elimination) zone qualification system in which each tie was played at a separate venue and time was eliminated. Instead, common qualifying venues brought many teams together to contend in group round-robin ties followed by playoffs between group leaders. The term round-robin describes correspondence to a single Address authored or signed by numerous individuals (as found in a Petition) As few as one or as many as three teams from a given venue (depending on the previously assessed strength of its field) would qualify for the final phase of the competition which until 2004 was limited to eight teams. The 2004 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from May 7 to May 16, 2004 in Senayan Indonesia. The number of qualifying venues prior to 2004 varied between two and four and their sites basically reflected the long existent loci of badminton strength in the Far East and (to a lesser extent) in Europe (see chart below).

The European qualifying venue usually hosted the greatest number of teams and to streamline play and create more competitive ties, a two tiered system was eventually instituted there. Weaker badminton nations played-off in groups for the right to contest with the stronger national teams. To have an easier road to the inter-zone competition strong Asian teams sometimes competed outside of their "natural" qualification venue. Rising power South Korea, for example, won qualifications held in North America in 1986 and in 1988. The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The 1986 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 14th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 11th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions The 1988 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 15th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 12th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions

Below shows the qualification slots in tournament history:

Final tournament

From 1984 through 2002 the final phase of Thomas Cup competition brought eight competing teams together. These included the defending champion nation and the host nation exempt from earlier qualification ties. The format of this final phase largely mirrored that of the qualifying venues. The eight teams were divided into pools or groups of four. Round-robin play within each group determined first and second place group finishers who then advanced to the semifinals. A round-robin tournament or all-play-all tournament is a type of group tournament in which each participant plays every other participant an equal number of times Each semifinal tie pitted the top finisher in one group against the second place finisher in the other, with the winners proceeding to the championship match. A playoff for third place between losing semifinalists was instituted in 1984 but was dropped in 1990.

In 2004 The BWF increased the number of Thomas Cup qualifying venues to five, one for each of five regional confederations (Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Pan America) that it had established. The 2004 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from May 7 to May 16, 2004 in Senayan Indonesia. It also increased the number of teams qualifying for the final phase of competition to twelve. While all confederations were guaranteed to send at least one qualifier to the final phase, strong regions such as Asia might send several (see chart above). At the finals the twelve qualifying teams were divided into four groups of three teams with round-robin play within each group. Round-robin winners were then placed in separate quarter-final berths of a knockout (single elimination) tournament to await opponents determined by matches between the second place finisher of one group and the third place finisher of another. The draw was played out and the winner of this tournament within a tournament became the Thomas Cup champion.

Results

Thomas Cup summaries

1949 - 1982

Year[9]	Host		Final
			Winner	Score	Runner-up
1949 Details	Preston, England		Malaya	8–1	Denmark
1952 Details	Singapore		Malaya	7–2	United States
1955 Details	Singapore		Malaya	8–1	Denmark
1958 Details	Singapore		Indonesia	6–3	Malaya
1961 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		Indonesia	6–3	Thailand
1964 Details	Tokyo, Japan		Indonesia	5–4	Denmark
1967 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		Malaysia	6–3	Indonesia
1970 Details	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia		Indonesia	7–2	Malaysia
1973 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		Indonesia	8–1	Denmark
1976 Details	Bangkok, Thailand		Indonesia	9–0	Malaysia
1979 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		Indonesia	9–0	Denmark
1982 Details	London, England		China	5–4	Indonesia

1984 - 1988

Year	Host		Final				Third Place
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third Place	Score	Fourth Place
1984 Details	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia		Indonesia	3–2	China		England	3–2	Korea
1986 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		China	3–2	Indonesia		Malaysia	3–2	Denmark
1988 Details	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia		China	4–1	Malaysia		Indonesia	5–0	Denmark

1990 onwards

Year	Host		Final				Semi-finalists
			Winner	Score	Runner-up
1990 Details	Tokyo, Japan		China	3–2	Malaysia		Denmark	Indonesia
1992 Details	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia		Malaysia	3–2	Indonesia		China	Korea
1994 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		Indonesia	3–0	Malaysia		Korea	China
1996 Details	Hong Kong		Indonesia	5–0	Denmark		China	Korea
1998 Details	Hong Kong, China SAR		Indonesia	3–2	Malaysia		Denmark	China
2000 Details	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia		Indonesia	3–0	China		Korea	Denmark
2002 Details	Guangzhou, China		Indonesia	3–2	Malaysia		Denmark	China
2004 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		China	3–1	Denmark		Korea	Indonesia
2006 Details	Sendai and Tokyo, Japan		China	3–0	Denmark		Indonesia	Malaysia
2008 Details	Jakarta, Indonesia		China	3–1	Korea		Malaysia	Indonesia

Successful national teams

Only three nations, Malaysia (formerly Malaya), Indonesia, and China have ever held the Thomas Cup. The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Singapore The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international Badminton team competitions The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Singapore The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Singapore The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (Its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international Badminton team competitions The Thomas Cup competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup) officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 1967 Thomas Cup was the 7th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The 1970 Thomas Cup was the 8th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The 1973 Thomas Cup was the 9th edition of the Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 1976 Thomas Cup was the 10th edition of Thomas Cup, the world championship of men's international team Badminton (its female counterpart is the Uber Cup Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔn) or Krung Thep ( for short is the Capital, largest The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The 1979 Thomas Cup was the 11th edition of the Thomas Cup competition the world championship of men's international team Badminton. Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's Badminton team competition in the world London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The 1984 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 13th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 10th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The England national badminton team represents England in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by Badminton England, the The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The 1986 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 14th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 11th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 1988 Thomas Cup & Uber Cup was the 15th tournament of Thomas Cup and the 12th tournament of Uber Cup, the most important Badminton team competitions Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 1990 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 16th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 13th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The 1992 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 17th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 14th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The 1994 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 18th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 15th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The 1996 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 19th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 16th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The 1998 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 20th tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 17th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders A Special Administrative Region ( SAR) is a high autonomous administrative division of the People's Republic of China. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The 2000 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 21st tournament of the Thomas Cup, and the 18th tournament of the Uber Cup, which are the major international team competitions Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The 2002 Thomas & Uber Cup was held in Guangzhou, China from May 9 to May 19, 2002. Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The 2004 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from May 7 to May 16, 2004 in Senayan Indonesia. Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The 2006 Thomas & Uber Cup was held from April 28 to May 7 in Sendai and Tokyo, Japan. is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast region officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 25th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 22nd tournament of the Uber Cup, the men's and women's team competition in Badminton Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the Curiously each of them won the first Thomas Cup competition that it entered: Malaya, the initial contest in 1949; Indonesia, the 1958 contest against Malaya; and China, the 1982 contest over Indonesia. Indonesia leads in total titles with thirteen. It won four consecutive titles from 1970 through 1979 and five consecutive titles from 1994 through 2002. Indonesia has played in the decisive final tie on seventeen occasions. Since the Thomas Cup format was overhauled in 1984, it has never failed to place among the top four teams.

China has captured the Cup on seven occasions including their last three consecutive titles in 2004, 2006 and 2008. It has contested the final tie nine times and, like Indonesia, has never failed to place among the top four teams. Malaysia has won five times, the last being in 1992. It has played in the final tie on thirteen occasions. Since the format change in 1984 it has reached the "final four" nine of thirteen times.

Despite its small population, Denmark has traditionally been Europe's strongest power in men's badminton and the strongest badminton nation not to have captured the Thomas Cup. The only European nation to have played in the final tie, it has finished second eight times spanning from the first competition in 1949 to the 2006 tournament. The USA, a power in the early days of international badminton (especially in women's competition), finished second to Malaya in 1952 but thereafter steadily fell behind the leading badminton nations. Thailand, with a king who promoted the sport, produced outstanding players at the time of its run to the final in 1961, and for some years after that, but has since descended to a lower rung on the international ladder.

Among all the other contending nations, South Korea has the best record. Rising to prominence in the 1980's, and especially strong in doubles, it had reached the "final four" six times before finally reaching the "final two" in 2008 to become the runner-up. Japan produced highly competitive teams in the late 1960's and the 1970's as its women were winning Uber Cup championships. Both its men and its women have fallen back since. India nearly reached the final twice in the 1950's, Despite some fine individual players it has lacked the depth, particularly in doubles, to seriously contend for the Cup. In Europe, England and Sweden have usually joined Denmark in advancing to the final phase of Thomas Cup competition since 1984. England, traditionally more successful in women's play than in men's, had its best showing in 1984 with a third place finish. Sweden, whose greatest badminton success spanned from the late 1960's to the mid 1980's, has yet to advance to the semifinal round of Thomas Cup's final phase.

Below is the list of seven nations that have finished in the top two in Thomas Cup.

Team	Champions	Runners-up
Indonesia	13 (1958, 1961*, 1964, 1970, 1973*, 1976, 1979*, 1984, 1994*, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002)	4 (1967*, 1982, 1986*, 1992)
China	7 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2008)	2 (1984, 2000)
Malaysia#	5 (1949, 1952, 1955, 1967, 1992*)	8 (1958, 1970*, 1976, 1988*, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)
Denmark		8 (1949, 1955, 1964, 1973, 1979, 1996, 2004, 2006)
Korea		1 (2008)
Thailand		1 (1961)
United States		1 (1952)

* = host

# = including Malaya

Team appearances

The map shows countries that have qualified at least once for the Thomas Cup finale. The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in International Badminton Team Competitions and is controlled by the The China national badminton team represents People's Republic of China in international Badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions The Denmark national badminton team is a Badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international Badminton team competitions The Korea national badminton team represents South Korea in international Badminton team competitions The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international Badminton team competitions The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international Badminton team competitions

As of the 2008 championship twenty-one teams have advanced to the final venue over the history of the Thomas Cup competition. Among them Denmark has reached this final stage in all twenty-five competitions (and without ever receiving a bye to it). Indonesia and China have also advanced to the final stage in each competition that they have entered. Geographically, nine Asian nations have qualified to play in play at the final venue. Six European nations have done so. The USA and Canada are the only Pan American teams to have reached this stage, and New Zealand and Australia, as one might expect, have been the only teams to represent Oceania. South Africa and Nigeria have qualified from the African zone.

Below is the list of teams that have appeared in the final stage of Thomas Cup as of the 2008 tournament. The 2008 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 25th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 22nd tournament of the Uber Cup, the men's and women's team competition in Badminton

References and footnotes

External links

• BWF: Thomas Cup