Badminton Rules: How Scoring Works

Badminton scoring is straightforward. The confusing part is that it is about to change: from January 2027 games will be counted differently. This article is based on the rules of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and covers both versions.

How points and games are counted

The system is rally point: the winner of every rally scores, whoever served.

• A match is best of three games, so first to two.
• Until 3 January 2027 a game goes to 21 points, and you must win by two.
• At 20-20 you keep playing until one side leads by two.
• At 29-29 the 30th point decides. So 30-29 wins a game too.
• The winner of a game serves first in the next one.

From 4 January 2027 games go to 15 points, won by two, and at 20-20 the 21st point decides. We cover the whole change in our article on the 3x15 format.

There is no tiebreak in badminton. You play until one side leads by two, or until the final point of the cap is played.

Serving

There is a toss before the match. The winner chooses to serve or receive, or chooses an end.

• You serve diagonally into the opposite service court.
• The serve must be hit from below 1.15 m: at the moment of contact the shuttle has to be under that height.
• The racket must hit the base of the shuttle first, and the racket movement must continue forward in one smooth motion.
• Both of the server's feet stay on the floor and still.
• You get one serve only. There is no second attempt.

In singles you serve from the right court when your score is even and from the left when it is odd. Whoever wins the rally serves next. In doubles the serving side serves from the court that matches its score, and when it wins a point, only the serving side swaps positions.

Changing ends

You change ends after the first game, after the second game (if a third is needed) and in the third game as soon as one side first reaches 11 points. From 2027, with games to 15, the change in the third game comes at 8 points.

Disputed situations

1. Touching the net. If your racket, body or clothing touches the net or the posts during play, it is a fault and the point goes to your opponent.
2. Serve clips the net. A serve that touches the net, goes over and lands in the correct service court is good.
3. Shuttle on the line. The lines belong to the area they mark out. A shuttle on the line is in.
4. Ceiling and walls. A shuttle that touches the ceiling or a side wall is a fault and the point goes to your opponent. The same goes for a shuttle that hits a player or their clothing.
5. Serving before the opponent is ready. It is a let and the rally is replayed. Once the receiver attempts a return, they count as ready.

Every rally for a point will be familiar from squash and table tennis too.