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Rules of the Game

The Laws of Badminton: definitions, court, service, scoring and faults.

Badminton is played under the Laws of Badminton published by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The Laws cover the court and equipment, the toss, scoring, changing ends, service, singles and doubles play, lets, faults, the shuttle not in play, continuous play and the officials.

Key points

  • 21 points, 3 games

    The first side to reach 21 points wins a game. A match is the best of three games.

  • Every rally scores

    The side winning a rally scores a point, whoever served, and serves next.

  • 20-all and 29-all

    At 20-all a two-point lead is needed. At 29-all the side scoring the 30th point wins the game.

  • Underarm serve

    At the moment of impact the whole shuttle must be below a set height: 1.15 m from the court surface in BWF international competition.

  • Diagonal serve

    Serve from the right service court when your score is even and from the left when it is odd, into the diagonally opposite court.

  • Changing ends

    Players change ends after each game and in the third game when a side reaches 11 points.

Badminton court dimensions The court is 13.40 m long and 6.10 m wide for doubles, 5.18 m for singles. The short service line is 1.98 m from the net and the doubles long service line is 0.76 m from the back boundary line. NET Left service court Right service court 6.10 m · doubles 5.18 m · singles 13.40 m 1.98 m 0.76 m short service doubles long service
Court dimensions (lines are 40 mm wide)
Net and post height The posts are 1.55 m high. The top of the net is 1.524 m high at the centre of the court. The net is 760 mm deep and is stretched between posts placed on the doubles side lines. 1.55 m 1.524 m 760 mm post at centre court post Posts stand on the doubles side lines (6.10 m apart)
The top of the net is 1.55 m high at the posts and 1.524 m at the centre of the court.
Service courts in singles and doubles The serve is played diagonally. In singles the service court is long and narrow and reaches the back boundary line. In doubles it is wide and short and ends at the doubles long service line. The server serves from the right service court when their score is even and from the left when it is odd. Singles Doubles Server's court Where the serve must land
Example: the server's score is even (0, 2, 4…), so they serve from the right service court, diagonally.
Shuttlecock dimensions A shuttlecock has 16 feathers fixed in a cork base. The feathers are 62–70 mm long and their tips form a circle 58–68 mm in diameter. The base is 25–28 mm in diameter and the shuttle weighs 4.74–5.50 grams. Feather length 62–70 mm Ø 58–68 mm Ø 25–28 mm cork base 16 feathers, fixed with thread 16 feathers 4.74–5.50 g weight Feather or synthetic material
Shuttlecock dimensions (Law 2)
Racket dimensions The racket may be at most 680 mm long and 230 mm wide. The strung area is at most 280 mm long and 220 mm wide. The racket consists of the head, shaft and handle. Overall length at most 680 mm ≤ 230 mm Head Shaft Handle Strung area ≤ 280 × 220 mm
Racket dimensions (Law 4)
Last updated: 19 October 2026 Contact us