Today it was announced which players are eligible to participate at the 2010 Yonex European Badminton Championships in Manchester, England.

40 European countries can be represented in Manchester - but it all depends on whether the national associations decide to accept the invitations send out today.  Badminton Wales has qualified players in all events.

On 5 March the "phase 2"-players will be announced.

Badminton Europe today announced which players are qualified for the 2010 Yonex European badminton Championships in "Phase 1".

No nation "managed" to qualify four players/pairs in one discipline, which is the maximum. To have the maximum amount of four players/pairs, all of those had to be in the Top 24 on the World Ranking of 25 February 2010.

Denmark, who won both the men's and the women's team badminton championships last week in Poland have qualified three players in the men's singles event and three pairs in each of the three doubles events. In women's singles Denmark only had two players in the Top 64 on the World Ranking, and therefore had to settle for two places in the draw. Germany and Netherlands are the only two countries who have qualified three players in women's singles.

The host nation from England has qualified three players in men's singles, while they have two places in the women's singles draw.

The associations are now given until Thursday 4 March 2010 to announce whether they will accept the players qualified in the first phase. Once this date has passed, the associations will be informed about which players that are qualified in the second phase.

To see the players/pairs qualified in "Phase 1" for the 2010 Yonex European Championships - click here (players/pairs marked in RED are eligible in "Phase 1")