Indonesia Exits Thomas Cup 2026 in Group Stage, Darkest Chapter in History

Indonesia had to swallow a bitter pill at the 2026 Thomas Cup after being eliminated in the group stage for the first time in history. The Merah Putih men's team lost 1-4 to France in the decisive Group D match at Forum Horsens, Denmark, on Wednesday WIB.

This defeat is a major stain in the history of Indonesian badminton. Indonesia has long been known as a Thomas Cup powerhouse with a collection of 14 championship titles, and is one of the most successful nations in the world's most prestigious men's team event.

Since its debut in 1958 until the 2024 edition, Indonesia had always advanced to the knockout stage. Its previous lowest achievement was only reaching the Quarterfinals in 2012. But this time, that long record ended after the Indonesian squad failed to advance beyond the group phase.

Indonesia actually started the tournament promisingly. Jonatan Christie and his teammates secured a decisive 5-0 win over Algeria, followed by a narrow 3-2 victory against Thailand. However, the loss to France in their final match ended their campaign prematurely.

Competition in Group D was extremely tight. Indonesia, Thailand, and France all had the same number of wins, but match points difference became the deciding factor. Thailand topped the group, France secured runner-up status, while Indonesia had to settle for third place.

This situation was influenced by Thailand's 4-1 win over France and their decisive 5-0 victory over Algeria, making the Standings calculations very close.

In the duel against France, Indonesia was under pressure after losing the first four matches. Jonatan Christie fell 19-21, 14-21 to Christo Popov. Alwi Farhan then lost 16-21, 19-21 to Alex Lanier.

Anthony Sinisuka Ginting briefly offered hope during his intense match against Toma Junior Popov, but ultimately succumbed 22-20, 15-21, 20-22. That defeat made Indonesia's position increasingly difficult.

Indonesia's fate was sealed after the first doubles pair Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Mohammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani also lost 19-21, 19-21 to Eloi Adam/Leo Rossi.

Indonesia's only win came in the final match through Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri who defeated Christo Popov/Toma Junior Popov with a score of 21-18, 19-21, 21-11. However, this result was not enough to save Indonesia.

The result in Horsens is a heavy blow to Indonesia's long tradition in the Thomas Cup. Beyond that, this failure opens up a significant need for evaluation regarding the future of the national men's Badminton sector.