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.

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

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

The YONEX Bendigo International 2025 and the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2025 are being held side by side at the Bendigo Eaglehawk Badminton Association in Victoria, Australia.

This marks a significant and exciting step forward for the Para Badminton community, made possible through the incredible support of Badminton Oceania and the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The joint staging of both tournaments not only strengthens inclusivity within the sport but also provides a platform for athletes of all abilities to perform on the same stage.

New Zealand will be strongly represented across both tournaments, with a talented mix of experienced competitors and rising stars.

New Zealand Representatives – YONEX Bendigo International 2025

• Adam Jeffrey
• Alyssa Tagle
• Amy Wang
• Billy Li
• Camellia Zhou
• Dacmen Vong
• Dylan Soedjasa
• Edward Lau
• Haoxuan Xia
• Jenny Zhu
• Jonathan Curtin
• Laura Lin
• Livia Huang
• Natalie Ting
• Raphael Chris Deloy
• Vincent Tao
• Yanxi Liu

New Zealand Representatives – VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2025

• Amy Dunn
• Andrew Fairweather
• Anna HIka
• Carrie Wilson
• Chad Campbell
• Glenn Barnes
• Justin Cameron
• Maia Read
• Rishikesh Venu
• Thomas Slade
• Tom Leighs

Both events highlight New Zealand’s continued growth and strength in international badminton. For the Para Badminton athletes, competing alongside the YONEX Bendigo International is a proud moment that recognises the progress and visibility of Para Badminton across Oceania.

We can’t wait to see all our New Zealand players in action this week — stay tuned for updates, results, and highlights as the tournaments unfold.

After days of competition in Saipan, the pair stood tall on finals day, showcasing composure, chemistry, and strategic play on court to secure the gold medal for New Zealand.

Reflecting on the win, Raphael Deloy shared his excitement:

“It feels amazing to win the Oceania Junior Championship. I’ve prepared since the start of this year to be able to achieve a really good outcome out of this tournament. So I’m really happy.”

His partner, Lezhi Zhu, spoke about the mindset that carried him through the pressure moments of the final:

“I think throughout the match I just told myself ‘composure’ over and over again – and it worked out.”

This victory is a sign that the future is bright for New Zealand badminton, with rising stars like Raphael and Lezhi leading the way. We’re thrilled to celebrate this incredible win with the pair and can’t wait to see how they perform next at the Northern Marianas International Series, where they’ll take on the challenge of competing in an Open International tournament.

The journey continues - and we’re cheering every step of the way.

Dominant Start in Group Play

The Kiwi squad wasted no time asserting themselves in the early rounds, delivering commanding performances against Tahiti, Fiji, and the Cook Islands. These wins highlighted the team’s depth, with every player contributing to the undefeated run to the final.

The tournament also provided valuable experience for Raphael Deloy, Yanxi Liu, and Josephine Zhao, three young talents from New Zealand’s Under 19 Performance Squad, who gained further exposure to high-level international competition.

A Hard-Fought Final Against Australia

Facing off against defending champions Australia in the final, New Zealand fought hard but ultimately fell 5-0 in a series of competitive matches.

• Mixed Doubles – A strong start but a tough finish saw New Zealand lose 21-18, 21-15.
• Men’s Singles – A challenging match ended in a 21-12, 21-12 defeat.
• Women’s Singles – Shaunna Li pushed Australia’s Tiffany Ho to three games before falling 21-19, 18-21, 21-16 in one of the closest contests of the tie.
• Men’s Doubles – Raphael Deloy and Dylan Soedjasa brought plenty of energy to win the first game, but lost a tense match 12-21, 21-14, 21-18.
• Women’s Doubles – The Australian duo proved too strong, winning 21-5, 21-4.

Despite the final score line, the close matches, particularly in the women’s singles and men’s doubles, showcased the team’s competitiveness against Oceania’s top side.

Chief Executive Stephen Nelson reflected on the team's performance.

"We're really proud of our team and their efforts across the week. It's great to see a new generation of players coming though, wearing the fern. Unfortunately, Australia were too strong for us this time - we wish them all the best as they represent our region at the Sudirman Cup."

National Coach Rikke Olsen Siegemund commended the efforts of the team, despite a less than ideal run into the event.

"We've had limited preparation with some players overseas and others struggling with injuries. We did what we could on the day, but to get the win, we really needed to step up as a team. However, it's really promising to see this young team developing well from campaign to campaign."

Looking Ahead to the VICTOR Oceania Championships

There’s little time to rest, as the team now turns its focus to the VICTOR Oceania Championships, which start today. This tournament presents another opportunity for New Zealand’s top players to compete for individual titles and build on the momentum from their team performance.

Stay tuned for more updates as the Kiwi squad takes on Oceania’s best!

New Zealand Mixed Team