The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Women's Team Championships, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams. First held in 1956–1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled times and venues were merged with those of Thomas Cup, the world men's team championship. In 2007, the Badminton World Federation decided to have Thomas and Uber Cup finals separated again but the proposal was ultimately abandoned. The Uber Cup is named after a former British women's badminton player, Betty Uber, who in 1950 had the idea of hosting a women's event similar to the men's. She also made the draw for the 1956–1957 inaugural tournament, which took place at Lytham St. Annes in Lancashire, England.
The cup follows a similar format to that of the men's competition of the Thomas Cup. As of the 2024 tournament, China is the most successful team, having won 16 titles. Japan is second, having won it six times, followed by Indonesia and United States, each with three cups.
Trophy The Uber Cup trophy was officially presented at the annual general meeting in 1956, the year the first Uber Cup tournament was first held. It was made by Mappin & Webb, prominent silversmiths on Regent Street in London. The trophy is 20 inches high with a rotating globe on top of a plinth and a female player standing on top of a shuttlecock.
Results
1957–1981 YearFrom 1957 to 1981, Uber Cup actually played each edition for two years, the years shown here is only for final tournament.HostFinalSemi-finalistsChampionsScoreRunners-up1957DetailsLancashire, England6–11960DetailsPhiladelphia, United States5–21963DetailsWilmington, United States4–31966DetailsWellington, New Zealand5–21969DetailsTokyo, Japan6–11972DetailsTokyo, Japan6–11975DetailsJakarta, Indonesia5–21978DetailsAuckland, New Zealand5–21981DetailsTokyo, Japan6–3
1984–1988 YearHostFinalThird place tieChampionsScoreRunners-upThird placeScoreFourth place1984DetailsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia5–05–01986DetailsJakarta, Indonesia3–23–21988DetailsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia5–05–0
1990–present YearHostFinalSemi-finalistsChampionsScoreRunners-up1990DetailsNagoya and Tokyo, Japan3–21992DetailsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia3–21994DetailsJakarta, Indonesia3–21996DetailsHong Kong4–11998DetailsHong Kong SAR, China4–12000DetailsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia3–02002DetailsGuangzhou, China3–12004DetailsJakarta, Indonesia3–12006DetailsSendai and Tokyo, Japan3–02008DetailsJakarta, Indonesia3–02010DetailsKuala Lumpur, Malaysia3–12012DetailsWuhan, China3–02014DetailsNew Delhi, India3–12016DetailsKunshan, China3–12018DetailsBangkok, Thailand3–02020DetailsAarhus, Denmark3–12022DetailsBangkok, Thailand3–22024DetailsChengdu, China3–02026DetailsHorsens, Denmark3–1
Successful national teams So far, only five countries have won the Uber Cup with China the most successful team, with 16 titles, followed by Japan (six titles), Indonesia (three titles), the United States (three titles) and Korea (two titles). The Uber Cup has only spread to two continents so far: Asia and North America.
Nine teams have made it into the finals. The finalists other than the five winner countries above are Denmark, England, the Netherlands and Thailand. Sweden, Hong Kong, Germany, Chinese Taipei and India are the other fives teams which have made it into the final four.
TeamsTitlesRunners-upSemi-finalistsThird placeFourth placeTop 4 total16 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2024)5 (1994, 1996, 2010, 2022, 2026)1 (2018)226 (1966, 1969, 1972, 1978, 1981, 2018)3 (1975, 2014, 2020)8 (1990, 2004, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2022, 2024, 2026)2 (1986, 1988)193 (1975, 1994, 1996)8 (1969, 1972, 1978, 1981, 1986, 1998, 2008, 2024)5 (1990, 1992, 2000, 2010, 2026) 1 (1988)173 (2010, 2022, 2026)7 (1988, 1990, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2012, 2016)9 (1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2024)2 (1984, 1986)213 (1957, 1960, 1963)1 (1966)43 (1957, 1960, 2000)3 (1996, 1998, 2004)1 (1984)72 (1963, 1984)21 (2018)3 (2012, 2020, 2022)41 (2006)1 (2002)22 (1992, 1994)22 (2006, 2008)22 (2014, 2016)21 (2002)11 (2006)1
Bold text denotes team was host country.
Team appearances at the final stages
, 32 teams have qualified in the history of the competition for the final stages of the Uber Cup. Europe are the continent with the most teams, at twelve. Asia had ten teams. Africa had four teams that qualified, followed by Oceania and Pan America with three teams each.
Below is the list of teams that have appeared in the final stage of Uber Cup as of the 2026 tournament.
Teams Region Appearances Debut Best Result Asia 28 1963 Champions Asia 28 1966 Champions Europe 24 1957 Runners-up Asia 22 1984 Champions Asia 22 1984 Champions Asia 16 1975 Quarter-finals Americas 15 1960 Semi-finals Europe 14 1963 Runners-up Americas 13 1957 Champions Oceania 11 1975 Group stage Europe 11 2002 Semi-finals Asia 10 1957 Semi-finals Asia 10 1969 Runners-up Europe 10 1988 Runners-up Asia 10 2004 Semi-finals Asia 9 1996 Semi-finals Oceania 6 1960 Semi-finals Africa 6 2004 Group stage Europe 5 1992 Semi-finals Europe 5 2010 Quarter-finals Europe 4 2016 Group stage Asia 3 2006 Quarter-finals Europe 3 2018 Group stage Africa 2 2016 Group stage Europe 2 2016 Group stage Africa 2 2020 Group stage Europe 1 2020 Group stage Oceania 1 2020 Group stage Americas 1 2024 Group stage Africa 1 2024 Group stage Europe 1 2026 Group stage Europe 1 2026 Group stage
References