The 3x15 format: what changes in the laws of badminton
Best of three games to 15: the format scheduled internationally for 4 January 2027.
What the world federation adopted
In April 2026 the general meeting of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) adopted a new scoring format. A match is still the best of three games, but in this format each game is played to 15 points instead of 21. The approved text sets the start date at 4 January 2027, and the BWF Council may adjust it. The BWF Council presents shorter matches and more close contests as goals, not as outcomes established here. You can read the approved amendments (BWF general meeting, PDF) and the official BWF laws, version 6.0, dated 4 January 2027.
How points and games fit together
The side winning a rally scores a point, even if it received serve. Win two games to win the match; two straight wins mean no third game. For example, at 14–14, 15–14 is not enough; 16–14 wins that game.
The numbers to remember
- A game goes to 15 points. At 14 all, a side must lead by two points.
- At 20 all, the next point wins: 21 is the cap (it used to be 29 all, then 30).
- In a deciding third game, players change ends when one side reaches 8 points (it used to be 11).
- The pause inside a game, up to 60 seconds, now comes when the leader reaches 8 points (it used to be 11). The break between games stays at up to 120 seconds.
What does not change
The serve is still hit with the whole shuttle below 1.15 m, from a cross-court service box. The server must release the shuttle without adding spin, and the racket must first hit its base. In doubles the server's square still depends on whether their score is even or odd, and the order of service is unchanged. Faults and lets are the same.
Different federations, different dates
The French federation voted to move to 15-point games for all competitions it runs or authorises from 1 September 2026 (minutes of its executive committee, no. 357). In that French framework, best of three games to 21 remains an alternative only for PromoBad (FFBaD statement, 19 June 2026). In its circular of 30 June 2026, the Badminton Association of India announced an extension of the 3x15 format from July 2026 to zonal championships and the ranking tournaments and national championships it lists, and USA Badminton has proposed early adoption for junior events in 2026-27. For casual play, agree on a format before starting; in competition, follow the event's regulations.
What it means for your game
With fewer points, each point weighs more, and a slow start is harder to recover. This is our reasoning, not an established result: how the format changes tactics and endurance still has to be observed in real matches.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.