Badminton Court

Playing Within Lines: The Crucial Measurements of Badminton Court

A badminton court is rectangular and is divided by a net into two halves. Courts are usually marked for both singles and doubles play, although badminton rules permit a court to be marked for singles only. The doubles court is wider than the singles court, but both are of the same length. The exception, which often causes confusion to newer players, is that the doubles court has a shorter serve-length dimension.

The full width of the court is 6.1 meters (20 feet), and in singles this width is reduced to 5.18 meters (17.0 feet). The full length of the court is 13.4 meters (44 feet). The service courts are marked by a centre line dividing the width of the court, by a short (front) service line at a distance of 1.98 meters (6 feet 6 inches) from the net, and by the outer side and back boundaries. In doubles, the service court is also marked by a long service line, which is 0.76 meters (2 feet 6 inches) from the back boundary.

The net is 1.55 meters (5 feet 1 inch) high at the edges and 1.524 meters (5.00 feet) high in the centre. The net posts are placed over the doubles sidelines, even when singles is played.

These measurements are based on the official regulations set by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and are followed in professional and competitive play. However, for recreational purposes, court dimensions may vary slightly. The minimum height for the ceiling above the court is not mentioned in the Laws of Badminton. Nonetheless, a badminton court will not be suitable if the ceiling is likely to be hit on a high serve.