Thomas & Uber Cup 2008

Place & Date:
Date: 11 - 18 May 2008
Venue: Senayan Sports Complex, Senayan
City: Jakarta
State: Indonesia

Thomas Cup

The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships, is an international badminton competition contested by the men's national badminton teams of the members nations of Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. The championships has been awarded every three years since 1984 tournament, amend from awarded every three years since the first tournament held between 1948 and 1949.

The final phase of the tournament will involve twelve teams competing at the venues within the host nation. The final phase tournament is also often known as Thomas & Uber Cup, because it is united with the women's championships Uber Cup, organized since 1957, as a single tournament held at the same time and same venue since 1984. However, this unification will signal for final time in 2008 tournament, as BWF has already announced that both Championships will compete with each other beginning 2010.

In the twenty-four tournament held, only three nations have won the title. Indonesia is the most successful team, having won the tournament thirteen times. Current cup holder, China follow with six titles, while Malaysia with five titles.

The next Thomas Cup final will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2008.

Successful national teams

Only three countries have ever won the Thomas Cup. With thirteen titles, Indonesia is the most successful country. They were the first country to win four titles from 1970 to 1979 and five streak titles from 1994 to 2002. Making 17 appearances in the final and at least finished in top four since the semi-final stage involve in Thomas Cup. China recorded a second most successful team, with six titles, followed by Malaysia with five titles.

Denmark also encounter as one of the best team in history, however despite being eight times in the final, they are still unable to bring the title to Europe. United States had won the second place in the early age of the tournament, and Thailand became the last team advanced to the final outside the five traditional badminton powerhouse: Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Denmark, Korea. Since the involvement of Korea in Thomas Cup and often enter the top four, England is the last team advanced to the top four of the competition.

Below is the list of six teams 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	6 (1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 2004, 2006)	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)
Thailand		1 (1961)
United States		1 (1952)

* = host

# = including Malaya

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. It has been played every two years since 1984, amend from three years previuosly, after merging with the Thomas Cup, played in same period and venue.

The Uber Cup is named after an ex-British women's badminton player, Betty Uber, who had the idea of hosting the women's event similar to men in New Zealand back in 1950. 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. In the twenty-one tournament held, China is the most successful, having lifted the trophy ten times. Japan is second, having won it five times, followed by Indonesia and United States, each with three cups.

Successful national teams

So far, only 4 countries have won the Uber Cup with China the most successful team with 10 titles, followed by Japan (5 titles), Indonesia (3 titles) and United States (3 titles). Uber Cup has only crossed the shores of two continents so far; Asia and North America.

Eight teams had eventually make it into the final, Korea enter the final for five times, but failed to win after lost all to the China. It was followed by Denmark, England and Netherlands. Other than that, Sweden, Hong Kong, Germany and Chinese Taipei is the other four teams which successively make it into final four in the history of Championships.

Teams	Titles	Runners-up
China	10 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004*, 2006)	2 (1994, 1996)
Japan	5 (1966, 1969*, 1972*, 1978, 1981*)	1 (1975)
Indonesia	3 (1975*, 1994*, 1996)	6 (1969, 1972, 1978, 1981, 1986*, 1998)
United States	3 (1957, 1960*, 1963*)	1 (1966)
Korea		5 (1988, 1990, 1992, 2002, 2004)
Denmark		3 (1957, 1960, 2000)
England		1 (1963)
Netherlands		1 (2006)

* = hosts