Indonesia Eyes Redemption in Suhandinata Cup in Cairo

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s junior mixed team will begin its campaign at the 2026 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Mixed Team Championships (Suhandinata Cup) in Cairo, Egypt, with a challenging path in Group D2 alongside Macau and Senegal from October 5–10.

According to the official BWF draw released Monday, August 31, 2026, Group D is split into two subgroups: India, Peru, and Brazil in D1, while Indonesia joins Macau and Senegal in D2. The format requires winners of each subgroup to face off for a quarterfinal berth, meaning Indonesia must top D2 before meeting the D1 champion, Antara reported.

This year’s tournament introduces a distinctive 55-point relay scoring system, where each team match consists of best-of-three sets, and every discipline, men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, contributes 11 points per set. Indonesia has already tested this format at the 2026 Asian Junior Championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, where they exited in the quarterfinals after a 0–2 loss to Thailand.

The Suhandinata Cup offers Indonesia another chance to chase glory after finishing runner-up last year in Guwahati, India, falling 0–2 to defending champions China. China now sits in Group G1 with Portugal and Zimbabwe, while other heavyweights include Japan in C1 with Denmark and New Zealand, and Thailand in H1 with Slovakia and Canada.

The full draw features 49 nations across 16 subgroups (A1–H2), most with three teams, except G2 which hosts four. Indonesia’s group stage rivals may appear less formidable on paper, but the knockout format ensures no room for complacency.

Tournament organizers stress that the new scoring system and expanded global participation will heighten unpredictability. For Indonesia, the challenge is not only to secure top spot in D2 but also to prove resilience against stronger opponents in later rounds. ***