Fans and players have barely had time to recover from yet another great edition of the Sudirman Cup that finished just some days ago, in which China got to keep their title as champions. Now, most of those participating teams have travelled from Vantaa, Finland to Aarhus, Denmark for the world men’s and women’s team championships.

Indonesia almost made it two editions ago in 2016, and the team won bronze in 2018. This time, the top seeds will be trying to become winners for the first time since 2002 with a team that features Olympic bronze medallist Anthony Ginting. Chinese Taipei delivered a strong performance in the Sudirman Cup 2021, and it remains to be seen if they can keep up the good work thanks to players like Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Lee Yang/ Wang Chi-Lin.

An almost all-European group with some of the continents’ best, it features Europe’s most successful team in the Thomas Cup. Denmark won in 2016, whereas France and Germany have been quite successful in the recent European team championships but have never made it to the final staged of the Thomas Cup. Korea, the only Asian team in the group, have been runners-up twice and won bronze in 2016.

China are the reigning champions and are the second-best in terms of Thomas Cups titles. The Netherlands, 2020 European Men's Team Badminton Championships silver medallists, will be the only Europeans in the team but will have to fight without one of its main players, Mark Caljouw. Tahiti will be representing Oceania after their great experience at the Sudirman Cup.

Second seed Japan have been runner-ups at the Sudirman Cup and will try to be just as successful with a team that includes men’s doubles Tokyo 2020 medallist Koki Watanabe and Japanese star Kento Momota, who is here to show that he is back. Malaysia have also a good record in the championships and have in their team Olympic bronze medallists Aaron Chia/ Soh Wooi Yik. England announced just two days ago that they were withdrawing from the Thomas Cup. 

Group A have some of Asia’s and Europe’s strongest teams. Top seeded and reigning champions Japan will have to face Indonesia, whose last time in a final was in 2008, as well as France who have never reached a final or semifinal but have some of Europe’s most talented players. Germany, who are one of Europe’s best performing teams in the Uber Cup, have reached the semifinals in 2006 and 2008.

Scotland surprised Europe by winning bronze in the 2020 European Women’s Team Championship, and they will be looking to get just as good results in the world’s team championships. However, they will have to play against the 2018 runner-ups Thailand, 2014 and 2016 semifinalists India, and another European team, Spain, who have reached the final stage two times.

Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists Kim So-yeong/ Kong Hee-yong and Olympic semifinalists Lee So-hee/ Shin Seung-chan will represent Korea’s strong women’s doubles side. Chinese Taipei have just proved their strength at the Sudirman Cup, while Egypt and Tahiti have both reached once the final stages.

Second seeds China are one of the favourites, having already won the title 14 times and having ended up runner-ups in three occasions. The nation have just come from Finland as the 2021 Sudirman Cup champions and will have as opponents in the group stage Malaysia, 2000 runner-ups Denmark, and Canada.