On Tuesday, France stunned the badminton world with a 4–1 victory over Indonesia at the 2026 Thomas Cup, knocking out the 14-time champions in one of the tournament’s biggest shocks.
For France, it stands as one of their greatest-ever badminton achievements. For Indonesia, it marked one of their most disappointing campaigns, as it was only the second time they failed to reach the semi-finals, after 2012.
Thomas Cup – Indonesia 🇮🇩 come face-to-face against France 🇫🇷 in Group D.#ThomasUberCupFinals #Horsens2026 pic.twitter.com/aO5Tdq7jnQ
— BWF (@bwfmedia) April 29, 2026
More broadly, the result reinforces a defining truth of the Thomas Cup: reputation and history guarantee nothing. Across eras, even the most dominant teams have been toppled by emerging challengers, often in ties decided by depth, momentum and a handful of pivotal moments.
On top of France’s latest triumph, here are five of the greatest examples.
The new kings of badminton arrive (1982)
China’s Thomas Cup debut could not have been more emphatic, as they defeated Indonesia 5-4 in the London final, overturning the established order in one of the sport’s defining results.
After trailing 3-1 following the first day, China mounted a remarkable comeback. Luan Jin set the tone by defeating eight-time All England champion Rudy Hartono, before Han Jian and Chen Changjie levelled the tie. Sun Zhian and Yao Ximing then combined to deliver the decisive point.
The victory not only secured China’s first title but also marked the beginning of their long-standing dominance in world badminton.
#TodayInHistory On May 21, 1982, the Chinese men’s badminton team claimed the Thomas Cup for the first time. This historic triumph signaled the onset of China’s reign in international badminton. #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/gfNNq9Qr5k
— VideoChina (@videochinatv) May 21, 2025
Shock early exit for Malaysia at home (2000)
Host nation Malaysia entered the Kuala Lumpur edition with high expectations, fielding a squad largely unchanged from their runner-up finish in 1998.
However, their campaign unravelled early. A 3-2 loss to South Korea and a heavy 4-1 defeat to Denmark resulted in a group-stage exit. It remains one of the few occasions a host nation failed to progress beyond the opening round.
Japan rise up (2014)
Japan’s 2014 triumph was shaped by a semi-final upset that shifted the balance of the tournament. Facing defending champions China, the Kento Momota-led side produced a dominant 3-0 sweep, eliminating the traditional powerhouse in one of the most decisive upsets.
With the tournament’s dominant force removed, Japan carried that momentum into the final, where they edged Malaysia 3-2 to secure their first-ever Thomas Cup title.
South Korea stun China (2016)
In 2016, South Korea delivered one of the most significant modern-era upsets by defeating China 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
China, competing on home soil, had never failed to reach the semi-finals since entering the competition in 1982. Their early exit marked a rare break in their dominance and underlined the increasing competitiveness of the field.
India’s underdog story (2022)
India’s 2022 campaign stands as one of the most remarkable runs in Thomas Cup history as they claimed their maiden title in Bangkok.
Not among the pre-tournament favourites, India built their success on resilience in the knockout stages, with H. S. Prannoy delivering crucial wins against Malaysia and Denmark to guide them into the final.
Against defending champions Indonesia, India showed no signs of nerves. Lakshya Sen overturned a deficit to defeat Anthony Ginting, before the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty overcame Mohammad Ahsan and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo. Kidambi Srikanth then beat Jonatan Christie to seal a 3-0 victory and clinch the title.
