Badminton

Overview

A racquet sport played over a high net with a shuttlecock. Unlike tennis, the shuttle may never bounce — every rally is played entirely in the air.

Governed by the Badminton World Federation.

Checked against the BWF's Laws of Badminton, Version 6.0, in force from 4 January 2027, which brought in games to 15 points.

1. The court

The court is 13.40m long and 6.10m wide for doubles, as drawn in the Laws' Diagram A. The singles side lines sit 0.46m inside the doubles ones, making the singles court 5.18m wide. Lines are 40mm wide and form part of the area they bound, so a shuttle on the line is in.

The net is 1.524m high at the centre and 1.55m over the doubles side lines.

The court boundaries change between formats in a way that catches everyone out:

• Singles — long and narrow. The outer tramlines are out; the back line is in.
• Doubles — wide and short for serving only. The tramlines are in, but the doubles long service line is 0.76m inside the back line. In open play, doubles uses the full width and full length.

2. Scoring

Every rally scores a point, whoever served. A match is best of three games (Law 7.1).

Situation	Rule
A game is won at	15 points
At 14–all	You need to lead by two
At 20–all	The next point wins (first to 21)
Ends change in the third game at	8
60-second break in each game at	8

Players also change ends after each game, and there is a break of up to 120 seconds between games. The winner of a game serves first in the next.

3. Serving

The serve travels diagonally into the opposite service court. Law 9.1 requires:

• the whole shuttle below 1.15 metres from the court surface at the instant it is hit;
• the shuttle released without adding spin, and struck on the base first;
• both feet of server and receiver on the floor and stationary until the serve is delivered;
• the racket moving continuously forwards once the service starts;
• no missing the shuttle when attempting to serve.

The fixed 1.15m height is the Law itself. The older below-the-waist test with the racquet head pointing down is not in it. BWF's separate Alternative Laws contain alternative service rules, which the Laws apply to some para-badminton classes; those haven't been checked here.

Your score determines which side you serve from: even score, right court; odd score, left court.

In singles, the same player keeps serving while they keep winning points, swapping sides each time.

In doubles, the serve passes to the opposition when the serving side loses a rally. There is no second server in the modern rules — that was abolished with rally scoring.

4. Faults

• The shuttle lands outside the court
• The shuttle fails to cross the net
• A player touches the net with racquet, body or clothing
• A player hits the shuttle twice, or both partners hit it in succession
• A player reaches over the net to strike the shuttle — though following through over the net after contact on your own side is legal
• The shuttle touches a player or their clothing
• A player obstructs an opponent, or distracts them deliberately
• The shuttle is caught or slung rather than struck

5. Lets

A let replays the rally (Law 14). Among the cases: the server serves before the receiver is ready; server and receiver both commit a service fault; or, after the serve is returned, the shuttle is caught in the net after crossing it or stays suspended on top of the net.

Serving, smashing and switching hands

You cannot serve overhand. The whole shuttle must be below 1.15 metres when struck, and hit on its base, so an overhead serve is impossible. It is the largest single difference from tennis.

You may switch hands freely, at any time. Nothing in the Laws restricts it.

You can smash a serve. Unlike volleyball, a badminton serve may be attacked, and rushing a short serve is a standard doubles tactic. The serve must simply clear the net and land in court; what the receiver does with it is unrestricted.

Commonly argued

• Games go to 15, with a two-point lead needed from 14–all and a cap at 21.
• The serve height is 1.15 metres, measured from the floor. It isn't a waist test.
• No spin serves. Release the shuttle without spin and hit its base first.
• A shuttle landing on the line is in.
• There is no let for net cords on serve. Unlike tennis — a serve that clips the net and lands in is good and play continues.
• The court changes shape between singles and doubles, and only for serving in doubles.
• You cannot touch the net. At all, with anything, during play.
• There is no second server in the rally-scoring era.
• You may follow through over the net, but not strike the shuttle on the opponent's side.