2026 Thomas Cup – India vs. Canada Match Schedule (April 24)

The 2026 Thomas Cup has officially reached a fever pitch as the group stages intensify in Horsens, Denmark. Today, April 24, all eyes are on Court 2 at the Forum Horsens, where the powerhouse Indian contingent takes on a resilient Canadian side in a Group A fixture. For India, the 2022 champions, this tie is a vital step in their quest to reclaim the prestigious trophy and assert their dominance in the men’s team championships.

India enters this contest as the heavy favorites, boasting a balanced mix of seasoned veterans and explosive young talent. However, the Canadian team, led by the dangerous Brian Yang, has a reputation for being “giant killers” in team formats. With the knockout stages looming, every match in this best-of-five tie carries immense weight.

The Tactical Breakdown

The Opening Salvo: Lakshya Sen vs. Victor Lai

The tie kicks off with the first Men’s Singles (MS1), featuring India’s poster boy Lakshya Sen. Sen, known for his incredible defensive range and net-play, will look to give India an early 1-0 lead. His opponent, Victor Lai, is an agile player, but Sen’s experience in high-pressure Thomas Cup matches—having been instrumental in India’s historic 2022 win—gives him a significant psychological edge.

The “Sat-Chi” Wall

In the first Men’s Doubles (MD1), the world-renowned pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will take to the court. Currently among the top pairs globally, “Sat-Chi” are expected to provide a clinical performance against Jonathan Bing Tsan Lai and Kevin Lee. India relies heavily on this duo to secure a “guaranteed” point, and their aggressive attacking style is always a crowd-pleaser at the Forum Horsens.

The Mid-Tie Challenge: Brian Yang’s Threat

The third match, MS2, presents perhaps the biggest challenge for India. Ayush Shetty, the rising star of Indian badminton, faces Canada’s top-ranked player, Brian Yang. Yang is a seasoned campaigner on the BWF World Tour and is capable of defeating the world’s best on his day. This match will be a true test of Ayush’s temperament and defensive solidity.

Closing it Out

The tie concludes with the second doubles and the final singles. The new-look pairing of Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun will face the experienced Canadian duo of Ty Alexander Lindeman and Nyl Yakura. Finally, if the tie goes to a decider, India has the luxury of fielding former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth. Having a veteran of Srikanth’s caliber in the MS3 slot is a testament to India’s incredible depth in the 2026 cycle.

India vs. Canada: Match Schedule & IST Conversions

The following table details the order of play for the Group A tie.

Time Zone Note: Horsens, Denmark is currently on Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is UTC+2. India Standard Time (IST) is UTC+5:30. Therefore, IST is 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of the local time in Denmark.

Date: April 24, 2026
Venue: Forum Horsens, Court 2 (Broadcast on TV)
Group Stage: Group A (R1)

Match	Category	India (IND)	vs	Canada (CAN)	Local Time (CEST)	India Time (IST)
Match 1	MS 1	Lakshya SEN	vs	Victor LAI	08:30 AM	12:00 PM
Match 2	MD 1	S. Rankireddy / C. Shetty	vs	J. B. T. Lai / K. Lee	09:20 AM*	12:50 PM*
Match 3	MS 2	Ayush SHETTY	vs	Brian YANG	10:10 AM*	01:40 PM*
Match 4	MD 2	H. Amsakarunan / M.R. Arjun	vs	T. A. Lindeman / N. Yakura	11:00 AM*	02:30 PM*
Match 5	MS 3	KIDAMBI Srikanth	vs	Joshua NGUYEN	11:50 AM*	03:20 PM*

*Estimated start times based on the “Followed By” schedule. Actual start times may vary depending on the duration of previous matches.

What to Expect

Indian fans can expect a dominant showing, but they should not underestimate the Canadian doubles pairs who often play with a “nothing to lose” attitude. If India secures the first three matches, they will win the tie 3-0, but in the group stages of the Thomas Cup, all five matches are typically played to determine the final point standings for group ranking.

Can India maintain their perfect run in Group A? The action unfolds today at the Forum Horsens!