The Shuttlecock — News & Community

Rule Change Alert

3x15 Scoring System: The Biggest Change in Badminton History?

The BWF will vote on replacing the current 21-point system with a revolutionary 3x15 format (with setting to 21) at the AGM in April 2026. Games would be shorter and more intense — here's what it means for club play.

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How the 3x15 System Would Work

Games to 15 (not 21) · Setting at 14-all — must win by 2, capped at 21 · Interval at 8 points · Still best of 3 games · Testing showed shorter, more intense matches with fewer injury-length marathons. The BWF Council endorsed this in November 2025 after trialling at Continental Championships and Grade 3 events throughout 2025. Indian Express analysis

Latest Badminton News Auto-updated from BWF & Badminton England
Rules & Regulations BWF Laws of Badminton & league rules

Contents

Scoring System Service Rules Court & Equipment Faults & Lets Doubles-Specific Rules League Match Format Player Conduct & Etiquette Official Sources

Scoring System

Current System (21-Point Rally Scoring)

  • A match is the best of 3 games
  • Each game is played to 21 points using rally scoring (a point is scored on every rally regardless of who served)
  • At 20-all, the side which gains a 2-point lead first wins the game
  • At 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins the game
  • The side winning a game serves first in the next game
  • Players change ends after each game and at 11 points in the third game

Proposed 3x15 System (Under BWF Review)

  • Games played to 15 points instead of 21
  • At 14-all, setting applies — must win by 2 points
  • Setting is capped at 21 points (first to 21 wins)
  • Interval at 8 points
  • Still best of 3 games
  • BWF AGM vote scheduled for April 2026
Status: Under trial since 2025 at Continental Championships and Grade 3 events. The BWF Council endorsed this format in November 2025.

Service Rules

Legal Service

  • The shuttle must be hit below 1.15 metres from the court surface at the point of contact (fixed-height rule introduced 2018)
  • The shaft and head of the racket must point downwards at contact
  • The server's racket must initially contact the base of the shuttle
  • The server and receiver must stand within their respective service courts, diagonally opposite
  • Both feet must be in contact with the floor at the moment of service
  • Once the server and receiver are ready, the first forward movement of the server's racket head is the start of the service
  • The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready — but the receiver is considered ready if a return is attempted

Service Sequence (Doubles)

  • At the start of a game, the serving side serves from the right service court
  • When the serving side's score is even, the server serves from the right court; when odd, from the left court
  • The player who served last stays in their court for the next rally
  • Service passes to the receiving side when the serving side loses a rally
  • The player in the correct service court (right if even, left if odd) serves or receives

Court & Equipment

NET (1.55m edges / 1.524m centre) 13.40m (doubles) / singles sidelines dashed 6.10m doubles / 5.18m singles Right service court Left service court Short service line (1.98m from net) Long service line - doubles (0.76m from back)
Badminton court layout — not to scale. All measurements per BWF Laws of Badminton.

Court Dimensions

  • Doubles court: 13.40m long x 6.10m wide
  • Singles court: 13.40m long x 5.18m wide
  • Net height: 1.55m at the posts, 1.524m at centre
  • Short service line: 1.98m from the net
  • Long service line (doubles): 0.76m from the back boundary
  • Minimum ceiling height: 9m (international), 7.6m (club level recommended)

Shuttle Specifications

  • Feathered shuttles: exactly 16 feathers from a goose's left wing
  • Weight: 4.74g to 5.50g
  • Feathers must be 62mm to 70mm in length
  • Cork base diameter: 25mm to 28mm
  • Synthetic shuttles are permitted but must replicate the flight characteristics of feathered shuttles
  • Speed testing: a full underhand stroke from the back boundary line should land between 530mm and 990mm short of the opposite back boundary

Faults & Lets

Common Faults

  • The shuttle lands outside the court boundaries
  • The shuttle passes through or under the net
  • The shuttle is hit twice in succession on the same side
  • The shuttle is caught and held on the racket then slung during a stroke
  • A player touches the net or its supports with racket, body, or clothing during play
  • A player invades the opponent's court over the net (racket may follow through over the net after the initial point of contact is on the striker's side)
  • A player obstructs or distracts an opponent
  • Service faults: shuttle above 1.15m, racket not pointing down, or feet off the ground

Lets

  • A let is called by the umpire to halt play — no point is scored and the rally is replayed
  • The server serves before the receiver is ready
  • During service, both the server and receiver are faulted simultaneously
  • The shuttle disintegrates or separates from the base during play
  • An unforeseen situation disrupts play (e.g. shuttle from another court)
  • A line judge is unsighted and the umpire cannot make a decision

Doubles-Specific Rules

Court Usage in Doubles

  • Service: Must land in the diagonally opposite service court (short service line to long service line for doubles — 0.76m shorter than singles back line)
  • During rallies: The full court width (6.10m) is used, including the tramlines
  • Only the receiver may return the serve — if the partner is hit by or hits the serve, it is a fault on the receiving side
  • After the return of serve, either player on a side may hit the shuttle from any position

Rotation & Positioning

  • Players do not switch service courts after winning a rally while receiving
  • Players switch service courts only when they score a point while serving
  • The serving order alternates between teams but not between partners within a team during a single service turn
  • At the start of each game, the serving side chooses which partner serves first; the receiving side chooses who receives first

League Match Format

Nottinghamshire League Format

  • Each match consists of up to 9 rubbers (3 men's doubles, 3 ladies' doubles, 3 mixed doubles)
  • Each rubber is played as the best of 3 games to 21 points (rally scoring)
  • The team winning the most rubbers wins the match
  • In the event of a 4-4 tie in rubbers, the result is determined by total games won
  • If games are also tied, total points scored is the tiebreaker
  • Match results contribute to league standings with points for wins, draws, and losses
Note: Some divisions may use a reduced format (e.g. 5 or 7 rubbers). Check your division's specific regulations on the Notts BA website.

Match Night Logistics

  • Home team provides shuttles (feathered shuttles for higher divisions)
  • Matches typically start at 7:30pm unless otherwise agreed
  • Teams must field the required number of players or concede rubbers for missing positions
  • Results should be submitted promptly after the match
  • Players must be registered members of Badminton England to play in league matches
  • Substitutions during a rubber are not permitted unless due to injury

Player Conduct & Etiquette

Official BWF Code of Conduct

  • Players shall not deliberately delay or suspend play
  • Players shall not deliberately modify or damage the shuttle to alter its speed or flight
  • Players shall not behave in an offensive or inappropriate manner
  • Players shall not use persistent or flagrant faults
  • Coaching is not permitted during a game (only during intervals and between games)
  • Continuous play: maximum 60 seconds between each game, maximum 120 seconds between second and third game

Club Etiquette

  • Shake hands with opponents before and after each rubber
  • Call lines honestly — if you're unsure, give the benefit to the opponent
  • Return shuttles to the server promptly, not hitting them across the net casually
  • Acknowledge good shots by opponents
  • Avoid walking behind courts during rallies
  • Arrive on time and notify your captain early if you cannot attend
  • Help set up and take down nets
  • Respect the facilities and clean up after the session
Training Corner Drills, technique & coaching videos

5 Doubles Tactics You MUST Know

Badminton Insight
Essential doubles strategies for club-level players — front/back vs sides, rotation patterns, and when to attack.

Improve Your Footwork in 10 Minutes

Tobias Wadenka
Quick daily footwork drill routine you can do at home or before a match. No equipment needed.

The Secret to a Powerful Smash

Badminton Insight
Breakdown of the biomechanics behind a powerful smash — wrist snap, pronation, and timing.

How to Improve Your Backhand

Coaching Badminton (Lee Jae Bok)
Korean coaching legend Lee Jae Bok breaks down the backhand clear and drive — grip, swing path, and common mistakes.

Mixed Doubles — Communication & Positioning

Shuttle Life
How to communicate with your partner in mixed doubles. Covers who takes the shuttle at the net, rotation, and calling.

Solo Training Drills You Can Do Anywhere

Swift Badminton
Wall drills, shadow footwork, and reaction exercises for when you can't get on court.
Who to Follow YouTube channels & Instagram accounts
Did You Know? Fun facts & records

Fastest Smash Ever

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy hit a smash at 565 km/h (351 mph) in 2024 — faster than a bullet train. In real match play, speeds typically reach 300-400 km/h.

More Running Than Tennis

A badminton player covers roughly 6.4 km per match — about twice the distance of a tennis player. And rallies happen roughly twice as fast.

16 Goose Feathers

A competition shuttlecock has exactly 16 feathers from a goose's left wing. The left wing ensures consistent rotation. Each shuttle weighs just 4.74-5.50g.

Invented in India, Named in England

The modern game evolved from "battledore and shuttlecock" played by British officers in Poona, India in the 1860s. It was named after Badminton House in Gloucestershire.

The All England is THE Tournament

First held in 1899, the All England Open is the world's oldest badminton tournament — older than the World Championships (1977) by nearly 80 years.

The Net Height Trick

The net is 1.55m at the edges but dips to 1.524m at the centre. That 2.6cm sag is why tight net shots curl over the middle, not the sides.

Longest Match: 161 Minutes

The longest recorded match lasted 2 hours 41 minutes — Taufik Hidayat vs Peter Gade at the 2005 World Championships. Under the new 3x15 system, this would be unlikely.

220 Million Players Worldwide

Badminton is played by over 220 million people globally, making it the 2nd most popular participation sport in the world after football.

Quick Links Useful resources

Badminton England

National governing body

BWF World Tour

International results & rankings

Notts BA

Nottinghamshire league & county

Flashscore

Live scores & results

BWF Calendar 2026

Full tournament schedule

Notts Outlaws

Junior performance programme

Top 10 Footwork Drills

Written guide with coaching tips

BWF Coach Education

Free coaching video library