| 1961 Thomas Cup qualification | |
| Dates: | 22 July 1960 – 29 March 1961 |
| Location: | Asian zone: Bangkok Hong Kong Lahore American zone: Toronto European zone: Greenock Derry Paris Southend-on-Sea Stockholm Trollhättan Australasian zone: Feilding Melbourne |
| Previous: | 1958 |
| Next: | 1964 |
The qualifying process for the 1961 Thomas Cup took place from 22 July 1960 to 29 March 1961 to decide the final teams which will play in the final tournament.
The qualification process is divided into four regions, the Asian Zone, the American Zone, the European Zone and the Australasian Zone. Teams in their respective zone will compete in a knockout format. Teams will compete for two days, with two singles and doubles played on the first day and three singles and two doubles played on the next day. The teams that win their respective zone will earn a place in the final tournament to be held in Jakarta.[1]
Indonesia were the champions of the last Thomas Cup, therefore the team automatically qualified for the inter-zone play-offs.
| Country | Qualified as | Qualified on | Final appearance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 Thomas Cup winners | 15 June 1958 | 2nd | ||
| Asian Zone winners | 29 March 1961 | 2nd | ||
| European Zone winners | 13 March 1961 | 5th | ||
| American Zone winners | 25 February 1961 | 5th | ||
| Australasian Zone winners | 21 January 1961 | 2nd |
In the final of the Australasian zone qualifiers, Japan conceded a walkover to Australia. Therefore, Australia qualified for the Thomas Cup by default.[2]