China secured the women’s badminton team gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi, ending a 12-year drought in the event. The Chinese team defeated hosts Japan 3-0 in the final held at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, overcoming past disappointments where they had fallen to Japan in the finals of the previous two editions, including the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games.
Chen Yufei played a pivotal role in the victory by clinching the decisive third point with a straight-sets win over Tomoka Miyazaki, 21-10, 21-11, in the second singles match. Yufei’s strong performance came after China had already built a 2-0 lead earlier in the tie.
The opening victory was secured by Wang Zhiyi, who rallied from a game down to defeat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 14-21, 21-19, 21-17. Following that, the doubles pair Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning extended China’s lead by beating Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto 21-16, 25-23, ensuring China was one win away from gold.
Prior to her match, Yufei’s coach sought to alleviate pressure by reminding her that the second doubles team of Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian was prepared to secure the title if necessary. However, Yufei was determined to conclude the match herself. After her victory, she described the moment as surreal, likening the scene of her teammates celebrating to a cinematic experience unfolding in slow motion.
The gold medal marked a significant redemption for Yufei, who had faced disappointment at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022. At that event, she lost in the first singles to South Korea’s An Se-young during the final, where South Korea went on to claim the team gold by defeating China in subsequent matches.
China’s triumph in Aichi reflects the nation’s continued strength in women’s badminton and highlights the emergence of players like Wang Zhiyi, Liu Shengshu, and Tan Ning alongside established stars such as Chen Yufei. The sweep over Japan in front of the home crowd provided a satisfying conclusion to the women’s team competition at the 2026 Asian Games.