Source:
REUTERS/KIM HONG-JI
[Saba
Sports News] In recent times, there were media reports suggesting that the
Malaysian Badminton Association had no intentions of bidding to host the 2026
Thomas and Uber Cup. This news immediately grabbed attention and became a topic
of interest in the country. However, Noor Hisham Bin Ahmad, the President of
the Malaysian Badminton Association, addressed this matter in a recent
interview with the media. He stated, “This is completely false. The
Malaysian Badminton Association has never declined to host the 2026 Thomas and
Uber Cup.” The Thomas and Uber Cup are esteemed international badminton
team competitions, with the Thomas Cup being the Men’s World Badminton Team
Championship and the Uber Cup being the Women’s World Badminton Team
Championship. The Thomas Cup competition format, similar to the Uber Cup, has
been held every two years since 1984 and follows a best-of-five series.
However, the challenging aspect is that the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup currently
lack a sponsor. The main issue lies in financial difficulties, where the income
generated falls short of the expenses. Consequently, the Thomas and Uber Cup
have become a burden for various badminton associations, with limited interest
shown.