Huelva, Spain, is set to host the best badminton players in Europe from April 6th to 12th for the 2026 European Championships. The draw has now taken place, revealing the initial challenges awaiting the German contingent as they compete for continental glory.
Men’s Singles
German champion Matthias Kicklitz received a favorable draw in the men’s singles event. He will open his campaign against Matthew Abela of Malta, currently ranked 274th in the world. Kicklitz is heavily favored to advance. A potential second-round matchup looms against Aria Dinata of Croatia, who surprisingly secured a bronze medal at last year’s tournament in Horsens.
The path is considerably more challenging for Kian-Yu Oei. After a first-round bye, Oei will face fourth-seeded Frenchman Toma Junior Popov, a finalist in the previous edition of the championships. However, Oei demonstrated his ability to compete with Popov, winning a game against him at the recent Team European Championships in Istanbul, offering a glimmer of hope for an upset.
Women’s Singles
Yvonne Li will begin her tournament with a bye in the women’s singles draw. In the second round, she is scheduled to play Tereza Švábíková of the Czech Republic. Li narrowly missed out on a European Championship medal last year, leading by a game and holding a lead in the second before falling to Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland in the quarterfinals.
Miranda Wilson will face a tough test in her opening match against France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari, the current French champion and a player for 1. BC Saarbrücken-Bischmisheim in the German Bundesliga. Pancasari is currently ranked 155th in the world.
Men’s Doubles
Malik Bourakkadi and Kenneth Neumann will face a closely matched contest in the men’s doubles. The German duo, ranked 79th, will meet England’s Oliver Butler and Samuel Jones (ranked 73rd) for the first time on the international stage.
Newly crowned German champions Simon Krax and Jonathan Dresp face a more difficult assignment, taking on the experienced Scottish pair of Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle, ranked 68th in the world.
Bjarne Geiss and Jones Jansen received the most challenging draw in the men’s doubles, facing Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi of France, who won a silver medal at the previous European Championships.
Women’s Doubles
Selin Hübsch and Amelie Lehmann will take on Scotland’s Julie MacPherson and Ciara Torrance, currently ranked 40th in the world, in the women’s doubles competition.
Isabel Lohau will partner with Dutch player Debora Jille, having received a wildcard entry for the Huelva tournament. They will begin against the Spanish pairing of Carulla and Jimenez. A victory could lead to a challenging second-round match against the top-seeded Stoeva sisters of Bulgaria, the current European champions and world number ten.
Mixed Doubles
Simon Krax and Amelie Lehmann will face Alexander Dunn and Julie Macpherson of Scotland in the mixed doubles event – a repeat of their upcoming doubles matchup.
Malik Bourakkadi and Leona Michalski are favored in their opening match against Spanish duo Sanjurjo and Carulla, ranked 171st in the world.
Fifth-seeded Marvin Seidel and Thuc Nguyen will start their campaign against Evgeni Panev and Gabriela Stoeva of Bulgaria, ranked 99th.
Overview: German Opening Matches at the 2026 European Championships
Men’s Singles
Matthias Kicklitz – Matthew Abela (Malta)
Kian-Yu Oei – Bye (Round 1) – then Toma Junior Popov (France)
Women’s Singles
Yvonne Li – Bye (Round 1), then Tereza Švábíková (Czech Republic)
Miranda Wilson – Rosy Oktavia Pancasari (France)
Men’s Doubles
Malik Bourakkadi / Kenneth Neumann – Butler / Jones (England)
Simon Krax / Jonathan Dresp – Dunn / Pringle (Scotland)
Bjarne Geiss / Jones Jansen – Adam / Rossi (France)
Women’s Doubles
Selin Hübsch / Amelie Lehmann – Macpherson / Torrance (Scotland)
Isabel Lohau / Debora Jille – Carulla / Jimenez (Spain)
Mixed Doubles
Simon Krax / Amelie Lehmann – Alexander Dunn / Julie Macpherson (Scotland)
Malik Bourakkadi / Leona Michalski – Sanjurjo / Carulla (Spain)
Marvin Seidel / Thuc Nguyen – Evgeni Panev / Gabriela Stoeva (Bulgaria)
You can find the full draw for the 2026 European Championships here.
The tournament in Huelva promises exciting badminton action as Europe’s elite battle for the championship title. Fans can follow the progress of the German team and all the other competitors as the competition unfolds from April 6th to 12th.
