[Saba Sports News] As the world’s top badminton players gather in the small Danish city of Horsens to compete for the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup, the ultimate honors in team badminton, they were greeted not with a grand red-carpet ceremony, but with a uniquely styled welcome banquet held at a former prison.
The organizers arranged a special opening reception inside Fængslet Prison in Horsens, Denmark. The venue was once an operational old prison with a history of over 150 years and used to house inmates. It officially closed in 2006 and was later renovated into a multi-purpose cultural complex combining a museum and conference venue. It still retains original historical features such as iron-barred windows, high walls and prison cells, and serves as one of the competition venues for the 2026 Thomas & Uber Cup.
Old historical photos hang on the prison walls, with a long white table placed in the center. Players sat around chatting, creating a strong sense of stepping back in time. Long tables and benches were lined up in a row, and the sight of players from various national teams dining together was mocked by fans as “a company group buffet dinner”. With this one-of-a-kind prison-themed arrangement, the 2026 Thomas & Uber Cup quickly went viral online.
In my opinion, the 2026 Thomas & Uber Cup prison-themed welcome banquet is a bold and successful marketing innovation. Though it has sparked mixed reactions, it has greatly boosted the tournament’s online buzz and cultural recognition. It embodies the minimalism and experimental spirit of Nordic event hosting, and sets a new model for how major international tournaments can make use of unconventional venues in the future.