UAE stun China to lift Team Relay title at BWF AirBadminton World Cup

The UAE claimed a historic victory at the inaugural BWF AirBadminton World Cup 2025, defeating China 60–54 in a tense 102-minute Team Relay final to secure the gold medal on home soil on Sunday.

Sheikh Saeed Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of Sharjah Ruler’s Office in Khorfakkan, crowned the UAE national team at the championship, which was held under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

Playing in front of a packed crowd at the Khorfakkan Beach, the hosts showed composure in the decisive moments to seal an emotional triumph.

The final proved a closely fought contest, with momentum swinging throughout before the UAE edged ahead in the closing stages.

The UAE women, who struggled to make an impact in the individual events, delivered strong performances in the team format to keep the tie evenly poised. The men then capitalised, handling the pressure better as China faltered, allowing the hosts to close out the match and spark celebrations among players and supporters.

The UAE’s path to the title was demanding. In the quarter-finals, they stunned tournament favourites Hong Kong with a bold tactical decision to open with the women’s triples.

The move paid off as the UAE established an early lead and held on for a narrow 60–56 victory.

The hosts followed that with a commanding semifinal performance against Egypt, winning 60–42 and underlining their growing confidence in the competition.

China had appeared strong earlier in the day, defeating Germany before overcoming Brazil 60–52 in a competitive semifinal, and were widely tipped to win the title. However, in Sharjah, the UAE delivered when it mattered most to claim a landmark triumph and write a new chapter in the nation’s badminton history. Elswhere, Brazil’s men’s team and China’s women’s team claimed titles in triples events at the tournament.

Brazil’s trio of Izak Batalha, Deivid Silva and Matheus Voigt enjoyed a standout run to the men’s triples crown. Their campaign began with a major upset in the group stage, where they eliminated top seeds Indonesia, before edging past China in a tightly contested quarterfinal. Brazil then overpowered Egypt in the semi-finals and sealed the title with a convincing straight-game victory over Hong Kong China, winning 9–6, 9–7, 9–5 in the final.

The Brazilians’ athleticism and explosive movement on sand proved decisive, as they combined speed, balance and sharp transitions to control rallies and adapt better than their rivals to the outdoor conditions.

Their achievement was made more impressive by the fact that Hong Kong had not dropped a single game prior to the final.

UAE and Egypt completed the men’s podium, claiming bronze medals after strong campaigns that underlined their growing presence in the discipline.

In the women’s triples, China emerged as the dominant force. The quartet of Chen Lu, Chen Xiao Fei, Feng Xue Ying and Shi Liu Wang produced a composed and clinical display to defeat Bulgaria 9–4, 9–6, 9–3 in the final.

The victory capped a strong tournament for the Chinese team, who have been preparing for the AirBadminton season for the past six months.