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. 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.[1] 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.[2] She also made the draw for the 1956–1957 inaugural tournament, which took place at Lytham St. Annes in Lancashire, England.[3]
Current season, competition or edition: 2018 Thomas & Uber Cup | |
| Sport | Badminton |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1957 |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Countries | BWF member nations |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Japan (6th title) |
| Most titles |  China (14 titles) |
The cup follows a similar format to that of the men's competition of the Thomas Cup. As of the 2018 tournament, China is the most successful team, having won fourteen times. 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.[3] 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.[2]
Results
1957 – 1981
| Year[5] | Host | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | |||
| 1957 Details |
Lancashire, England | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} United States |
6–1 |  Denmark | |
| 1960 Details |
Philadelphia, United States |  United States |
5–2 | Denmark | |
| 1963 Details |
Wilmington, United States | United States |
4–3 |  England | |
| 1966 Details |
Wellington, New Zealand | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Japan |
5–2 | United States | |
| 1969 Details |
Tokyo, Japan | Japan |
6–1 |  Indonesia | |
| 1972 Details |
Tokyo, Japan | Japan |
6–1 | Indonesia | |
| 1975 Details |
Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia |
5–2 | Japan | |
| 1978 Details |
Auckland, New Zealand | Japan |
5–2 | Indonesia | |
| 1981 Details |
Tokyo, Japan | Japan |
6–3 | Indonesia | |
1984 – 1988
| Year | Host | Final | Third Place | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | ||||
| 1984 Details |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | China |
5–0 | England |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} South Korea |
5–0 | Denmark | ||
| 1986 Details |
Jakarta, Indonesia | China |
3–2 | Indonesia |
South Korea |
3–2 | Japan | ||
| 1988 Details |
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | China |
5–0 | South Korea |
Indonesia |
5–0 | Japan | ||
1990 onwards
Successful national teams
So far, only five countries have won the Uber Cup with China the most successful team, with 14 titles, followed by Japan (six titles), Indonesia (three titles), the United States (three titles) and Korea (one title). 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, Germany, Chinese Taipei and India are the other four teams which have made it into the final four.
| Teams | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| China |
14 (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2002*, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012*, 2014, 2016*) | 3 (1994, 1996, 2010) |
| Japan |
6 (1966, 1969*, 1972*, 1978, 1981*, 2018) | 2 (1975, 2014) |
| Indonesia |
3 (1975*, 1994*, 1996) | 7 (1969, 1972, 1978, 1981, 1986*, 1998, 2008*) |
| United States |
3 (1957, 1960*, 1963*) | 1 (1966) |
 South Korea |
1 (2010) | 7 (1988, 1990, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2012, 2016) |
| Denmark |
3 (1957, 1960, 2000) | |
| England |
2 (1963, 1984) | |
 Netherlands |
1 (2006) | |
 Thailand |
1 (2018*) |
- * = hosts
Team appearances at the final stages
As of 2018, 24 teams have qualified in the history of the competition for the final stages of the Uber Cup. Asia is the continent with the most teams, at ten, followed by Europe with eight. The Americas and Oceania have each had two teams that qualified, while South Africa and Mauritius are the only team that has qualified from Africa.
Below is the list of teams that have appeared in the final stage of Uber Cup as of the 2018 tournament.
- 24 times
- 20 times
- 18 times
- 14 times
- 12 times
- 11 times
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
- 10 times
- 9 times
- 8 times
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
- 6 times
- 5 times
- 2 times
- 1 time
References
- "Thomas and Uber Cups to Stay Together". badminton-information. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
- "Thomas -/Uber Cup history". Archived from the original on 2007-10-21. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
- "THE LADIES' WORLD TEAM BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE UBER CUP". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-06-19.
- Alleyne, Gayle (28 May 2014). "Next Thomas-Uber Stop – Kunshan, China!". Badminton World Federation. Bwfbadminton.org. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- From 1957 to 1981, Uber Cup actually played each edition for two years; the years shown here are only for the final tournament.
