Rules
Badminton: rules
Badminton is played by two players or two pairs who hit a shuttle over a net and try to make it land inside the opponents' court. Every rally scores a point: a game goes to 21, with a two-point lead needed from 20-all and a cap at 30, and a match is the best of three games.
Importance 5 out of 5Importance rating
Serve
- The serve is hit upwards over the net into the diagonally opposite service court, with the whole shuttle below 1.15 m from the court surface at the moment the racket strikes itSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 9.1 and 9.1.6 · tier 1
- Server and receiver stand inside diagonally opposite service courts without touching the lines, with part of both feet in contact with the floor and stationary until the serve is struckSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 9.1.3 and 9.1.4 · tier 1
- The server must hit the base of the shuttle first, without spinning it on release, and the racket must keep moving forwards once the service motion startsSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 9.1.5 and 9.1.7 · tier 1
- In singles the server serves from the right service court when their score is zero or even, and from the left when it is oddSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 10.1.1 and 10.1.2 · tier 1
- An incorrect serve is a fault, and a fault loses the rally to the other sideSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 7.3 and 13 · tier 1
Scoring
- The side that wins a rally adds a point, whether or not it served; winning a rally as the receiver also wins the serveSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 7.3 and 10.3 · tier 1
- A game is won by the first side to 21 points; from 20-all a side must lead by two, and at 29-all the next point winsSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 7 · tier 1
- A match is the best of three games unless arranged otherwise, and the winner of a game serves first in the nextSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 7 · tier 1
- Players change ends after each game and, in a third game, when the leading side first reaches 11 pointsSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 8.1 · tier 1
Faults
- It is a fault if the shuttle lands outside the court boundaries, fails to cross the net, touches the ceiling or side walls, or touches a player's body or clothingSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 13.3 · tier 1
- It is a fault if the same player hits the shuttle twice in a row, or if partners hit it one after the otherSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 13.3.7 and 13.3.8 · tier 1
- While the shuttle is in play, a player must not touch the net or its supports, or reach over the net into the opponent's court (except to follow through after hitting the shuttle on their own side)Source: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 13.4.1 and 13.4.2 · tier 1
Doubles
- In doubles the serving side serves from the right service court when its score is zero or even and from the left when it is odd; the receiver is whichever opponent stands diagonally oppositeSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Laws 11.1.1, 11.1.2 and 11.1.4 · tier 1
- Partners only swap service courts when they win a point on their own serveSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 11.1.5 · tier 1
- Once the serve is returned, either player on each side may hit the shuttle, from anywhere on their side of the netSource: Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Laws of Badminton V5.0 (2), 26 April 2025, Law 11 · tier 1
Related sports
Sources
- Laws of Badminton (BWF Statutes, Section 4.1), Badminton World Federation, Version 5.0 (2), in force 26 April 2025extranet.bwf.sportOfficial rulebook or governing body (tier 1 of 5)