With the VICTOR Oceania Team Championships 2026 just around the corner, New Zealand’s top badminton players are set to take to the court in one of the most significant events on the regional calendar, with qualification for the BWF World Team Championships on the line.
Winning the Championships will secure a place at the BWF World Team Championships — the Uber Cup (Women’s Team) and Thomas Cup (Men’s Team) — to be held in Denmark from 24 April to 3 May 2026. At the World Championships, teams will compete in a round-robin and knockout format against the strongest nations from around the world.
Uber Cup Team
New Zealand’s Uber Cup team features a strong blend of experience and emerging talent. The squad is led by Shaunna Li, the 2025 Women’s Singles Oceania Champion and a New Zealand representative at the 2025 World Championships, who brings leadership and consistency to the women’s line-up. With Shaunna producing consistent results across both local and international tournaments, she sets the tone for the team heading into the Championships.
She is joined by junior prospects Yanxi Liu, Amy Wang, and Josephine Zhao, all of whom delivered strong performances throughout 2025. With this mix of senior experience and youth development, the Uber Cup team faces a challenging but exciting campaign, particularly when lining up against Australia.
Thomas Cup Team
The Thomas Cup team brings depth across both singles and doubles. In the doubles, the squad includes Dylan Soedjasa and Adam Jeffrey, the 2025 Oceania Men’s Doubles Champions, alongside Raphael Deloy, the 2025 Oceania Junior Men’s Doubles Champion.
Further strength comes from Vincent Tao, the 2025 Oceania Mixed Doubles Champion, adding flexibility and experience across the doubles disciplines.
In singles, the team is led by Edward Lau, a multiple-time Oceania Men’s Singles champion and New Zealand representative at the 2025 World Championships. He is joined by emerging talent Chris Benzie, providing valuable depth across the singles line-up.
Both New Zealand teams face strong competition throughout the Championships, with ties against Australia expected to be particularly competitive. With qualification to the World Team Championships at stake, the VICTOR Oceania Team Championships 2026 present an important opportunity for New Zealand players to test themselves at the highest level in the region and continue building toward international competition.
Event Details
Event: VICTOR Oceania Team Championships
Dates: 13–15 February 2026
Location: Badminton North Harbour
47 Bond Crescent, Forrest Hill, North Shore 0620, Auckland
📅 Full schedule:
https://badmintonoceania.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/VOTC26-Schedule.pdf