China holds the record for the most successful nation in the Sudirman Cup, having won the prestigious tournament 13 times.
The Sudirman Cup is a renowned biennial international mixed-team badminton championship, organized by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the global governing body for the sport. Established in 1989, the tournament consists of five disciplines in each tie: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. It is named after Dick Sudirman, a legendary Indonesian badminton figure.
Initially held alongside the World Championships, the Sudirman Cup became a separate event from 2003 onwards. Unlike many major tournaments, the Sudirman Cup does not offer prize money. Instead, players compete for national honor and valuable BWF World Ranking points.
Sudirman Cup: Dominance of China and Historical Trends
China has been the dominant force in the history of the Sudirman Cup, securing 14 titles, including their latest victory on home soil in 2023. Korea follows with four titles, while Indonesia, the winner of the inaugural edition in 1989, has claimed the Cup once.
Throughout the competition’s history, only eight nations have consistently reached the semi-finals: China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Denmark, and England. Notably, no non-Asian country has ever won the Sudirman Cup. Denmark remains the most successful European contender, having finished as runners-up in 1999 and 2011.
Sudirman Cup title winners
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Score | Semi-finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Indonesia, Jakarta | Indonesia | South Korea | 3–2 | China, Denmark |
| 1991 | Denmark, Copenhagen | South Korea | Indonesia | 3–2 | China, Denmark |
| 1993 | England, Birmingham | South Korea | Indonesia | 3–2 | China, Denmark |
| 1995 | Switzerland, Lausanne | China | Indonesia | 3–1 | Denmark, South Korea |
| 1997 | Scotland, Glasgow | China | South Korea | 5–0 | Denmark, Indonesia |
| 1999 | Denmark, Copenhagen | China | Denmark | 3–1 | Indonesia, South Korea |
| 2001 | Spain, Seville | China | Indonesia | 3–1 | Denmark, South Korea |
| 2003 | Netherlands, Eindhoven | South Korea | China | 3–1 | Denmark, Indonesia |
| 2005 | China, Beijing | China | Indonesia | 3–0 | Denmark, South Korea |
| 2007 | Scotland, Glasgow | China | Indonesia | 3–0 | England, South Korea |
| 2009 | China, Guangzhou | China | South Korea | 3–0 | Indonesia, Malaysia |
| 2011 | China, Qingdao | China | Denmark | 3–0 | Indonesia, South Korea |
| 2013 | Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur | China | South Korea | 3–0 | Denmark, Thailand |
| 2015 | China, Dongguan | China | Japan | 3–0 | Indonesia, South Korea |
| 2017 | Australia, Gold Coast | South Korea | China | 3–2 | Japan, Thailand |
| 2019 | China, Nanning | China | Japan | 3–0 | Indonesia, Thailand |
| 2021 | Finland, Vantaa | China | Japan | 3–1 | South Korea, Malaysia |
| 2023 | China, Suzhou | China | South Korea | 3–0 | Malaysia, Japan |
| 2025 | China, Xiamen | China | South Korea | 3–1 | Indonesia, Japan |
