Badminton
Badminton is a racket sport played with a shuttlecock across a high net on a rectangular court. Players score points by striking the shuttlecock over the net so it lands within the opponent's boundary lines.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- 19th century
- ORIGIN
- India / England
- PLAYERS
- 2 or 4 players
- EQUIPMENT
- Racket, shuttlecock
- PLAYING AREA
- 13.4 × 6.1 m
- DURATION
- c. 40–90 min
- GOVERNING BODY
- BWF
- OLYMPIC
- Yes
Scoring at a glance
| Outcome | Result |
|---|---|
| Shuttle lands inside opponent's court | 1 point |
| Opponent hits shuttle outside or into net | 1 point |
| Server commits a service fault | 1 point to receiver |
| Game won | First to 21 pts (must lead by 2) |
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1873 | Rules formalized at Badminton House, Gloucestershire |
| 1893 | Badminton Association of England founded |
| 1899 | First All England Open Badminton Championships held |
| 1934 | International Badminton Federation (now BWF) established |
| 1992 | Badminton officially introduced to the Summer Olympics |
How a game works
Two opposing players (singles) or two pairs (doubles) hit a lightweight shuttlecock back and forth over a 1.55-meter high net. A rally starts with an underhand service diagonally into the opponent's court and continues until the shuttlecock hits the surface or a fault occurs.
Scoring in one line
Matches use a rally scoring system where every serve yields a point, with the first to 21 points winning a game in a best-of-three match.
Where it came from
The game evolved from ancient battledore and shuttlecock, as well as the British military game Poona played in 1860s India. British officers brought the rules home to England, where the Duke of Beaufort launched the modern sport at Badminton House in 1873.
Badminton today
Governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport commands immense global popularity, particularly across Asia and Europe. It features five Olympic events: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles.
Run a Badminton tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — Best of 3 games to 21.
FAQ
Is badminton an Olympic sport?
Yes, badminton has been an official medal sport at the Summer Olympic Games since 1992.
How many points do you need to win in badminton?
A player or pair must reach 21 points to win a game and lead by at least 2 points, capped at a maximum of 30 points.
What is the difference between singles and doubles court sizes?
The full court is 13.4 meters long for both formats, but singles uses an inner boundary width of 5.18 meters, whereas doubles uses the full 6.10-meter width.