Badminton: Shuttle Tour › Rules

Badminton rules

Badminton is played with a racket and a shuttlecock (a cork base with a skirt of feathers or nylon) on a court split by a high net. It can be singles, one against one, or doubles. The goal is to land the shuttle on your opponent's side, inside the court, or force them into a mistake. Below are the official rules in short, the scoring change coming in 2027, and how Shuttle Tour trims it all down to a quick match.

Scoring: best of 3 games to 21

This is the official rule until the end of 2026:

• A match is the best of 3 games: win 2 and you win the match.
• Each game is played to 21 points.
• Every rally scores a point, no matter who served (rally scoring).
• At 20–all, you need a 2-point lead (22–20, 23–21…).
• At 29–all, whoever scores the 30th point takes the game.
• When the leader reaches 11 there is an interval of up to 60 seconds, and up to 2 minutes between games. In the third game, players change ends at 11.

New from 2027: games to 15 (the 3x15 scoring system)

On 25 April 2026, at the 87th BWF (Badminton World Federation) Annual General Meeting in Horsens, Denmark, member associations approved the 3×15 scoring system by the required two-thirds majority. It takes effect on 4 January 2027, the biggest scoring change since 2006, when badminton moved to rally scoring to 21.

• Matches stay best of 3 games, with a point on every rally.
• Each game is played to 15 points.
• At 14–all, you need a 2-point lead.
• The cap drops to 21: at 20–all, the 21st point wins the game.
• The 60-second mid-game interval comes when the leader reaches 8, and in the third game players change ends at 8 too. The 2-minute interval between games stays the same.
• 3×15 becomes the standard system, in Para badminton too. 3×21 stays in the rules as an alternative: member associations, clubs and leagues may use an approved alternate system for domestic competitions.

According to the BWF, the goal is closer, more exciting games, more predictable match lengths (which makes tournament scheduling easier) and potential benefits for player welfare and recovery.

Sources: BWF, "BWF Members Approve 3×15 Scoring System" (25 April 2026) and "Key Changes Under the 3×15 Scoring System" (26 April 2026).

In Shuttle Tour: one game to 11

To fit into a quick break on your phone, the game plays a shorter match with the same logic as the official rules:

• a single game to 11 points, with a point on every rally;
• at 10–all, you need a 2-point lead;
• the cap is 15: at 14–all, the next point decides it (the "golden point");
• it is singles, on the singles court.

Serve

• The serve is underhand: at the moment of contact, the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 m from the floor. The old rule said "below the waist".
• The racket must first hit the base (the rounded cork) of the shuttle, in one continuous forward motion.
• Server and receiver stand still, with part of both feet on the floor, inside their service courts and off the lines.
• The serve goes diagonally, into the service court on the other side.
• When the server's score is even (0, 2, 4…), they serve from the right; when it is odd, from the left.
• Whoever wins the rally scores the point and serves next.

Court and lines

• The court is 13.40 m long and 6.10 m wide (the doubles width). Singles uses a width of 5.18 m.
• The net is 1.55 m high at the posts and 1.524 m at the center.
• The short service line is 1.98 m from the net: the serve has to pass it.
• Singles: the inner side lines and the back boundary line count, for both serve and rally. The service court is long and narrow.
• Doubles: in the rally, the outer side lines and the back boundary line count. On the serve, the box is wider and shorter: it ends at the doubles long service line, 76 cm in front of the back line.
• A shuttle that lands on the line is in: the line is part of the court.

Main faults

Each fault gives the point to your opponent:

• the shuttle lands out, goes under the net or fails to clear it;
• the shuttle hits the ceiling, a wall, or a player's body or clothing;
• a player touches the net or posts with the racket, body or clothing while the shuttle is in play;
• the same player hits the shuttle twice in a row (in doubles, partners can't hit it one right after the other either);
• reaching into the other side: hitting the shuttle with your racket over the net on their side, or going under the net and getting in the way (following through after hitting on your own side is fine);
• obstructing or distracting the opponent, for example by shouting or gesturing;
• an illegal serve: too high, not diagonal, feet moving or on the line.

Let: replaying the point

A let stops the rally with no point for anyone, and the last serve is replayed. It's called for the unexpected: a shuttle from another court lands on yours, the server serves before the receiver is ready, the shuttle comes apart in play, or the umpire can't see or decide the call. On the serve, a shuttle caught on top of the net is also a let.

Frequently asked questions

How many points are in a game of badminton?

Under the official rule in force until the end of 2026, each game goes to 21 points, with a 2-point lead from 20–all and a cap of 30. From 4 January 2027, it is 15 points, with a 2-point lead from 14–all and a cap of 21. A match is always the best of 3 games. In Shuttle Tour, a match is a single game to 11 with a cap of 15.

What is the new 3x15 scoring system?

It is the system the BWF approved in April 2026 for play from 4 January 2027: games to 15 points instead of 21, with a 2-point lead from 14–all and a cap of 21, and the mid-game interval at 8 points. Rally scoring and best of 3 games stay the same.

Is a shuttle on the line in or out?

In. The lines are part of the court, so a shuttle that touches the line is good. Just check which lines count: they differ between singles and doubles, and between the serve and the rally.

What is a let in badminton?

A let stops the rally without a point and the serve is replayed. It covers the unexpected, like a shuttle from another court, a serve before the receiver is ready, or a serve caught on top of the net.

Can I practice badminton rules online?

Yes. Badminton: Shuttle Tour is free in your browser, on desktop or mobile, with no sign-up: rally scoring, diagonal serves with the side set by the score, and shuttles out or into the net, in a quick game to 11 against the CPU or a friend.

Practice in the game

The fastest way to learn the rules is to play. See the controls in How to play, and the shots that win the most points in Badminton tips.