Introduction

If you’ve ever wondered how big a badminton court is, or if you’re unsure about how to lay out your own badminton court, you’ve come to the right place. In this illustrated badminton court guide, we will take a look at the dimensions of singles and doubles badminton courts and cover everything you need to know about badminton courts in general.

 
WHAT IS THE SIZE OF A BADMINTON COURT?

A full size badminton court that is marked out for both singles and doubles matches, is 13.41m (44.00ft) long and 6.10m (20.00ft) wide. The size of a regulation badminton court is the same for all levels, from junior games through to senior Olympic matches. The size of a badminton court is mandated by the sport’s governing body the Badminton World Federation (BWF).

A badminton court is rectangular in shape, and is divided into two sides, laid out on either side of the net that runs through the middle. The vast majority of badminton courts will have lines marked out for both singles and doubles matches.

The actual lines should be 4cm (1.57 inches) thick and need to be a colour that is easy to distinguish from the surface of the court surface - usually white.

Whilst badminton courts officially require a 61cm (2ft) safety perimeter around the court according to the BWF, many UK sporting organisations and federations, for example, Sport Scotland, require a 2m (6.56ft) gap between the court and any walls or hazardous obstacles or items.

The nets on badminton courts are 1.55m (5.09ft) high at the ends/outer sidelines and 1.524m (5.00ft) high at the centre. The width of the net is always 6.10m.

What size is a badminton singles court?

Measured out in metres, a singles badminton court is 13.41m long and 5.18m wide. The total length diagonally from corner to corner is 14.37m and the court has a total surface area of 69.46m².

In feet, the singles badminton court is 44.00ft long and 17.00ft wide. The total length, diagonally across the court from corner to corner is 47.15ft and the total surface area in feet is 748.00ft².

Courts can be marked out for singles matches only; although most courts will be marked out for both singles and doubles matches.

How much space do you need for a badminton court?

The official distance, that should be left as a “surround” or border to a badminton court, is 2ft (0.61m) around the perimeter. However, most sports organisations recommend that if you have walls or other potentially hazardous structures surrounding a court, there should be a safety border or surround of at least 2m from the court’s sidelines and baselines, to the nearest wall or structure.

For a standard doubles badminton court, therefore, you will need a minimum space of 94.07m² (1012.56ft²) with a width of 7.32m (24ft) and a length of 14.63m (48ft). Ideally the space should be 10.10m (33.14ft) wide and 17.41m (57.12ft) long, with a surface area of 124.82m² (1343.55ft²).

As badminton courts are usually indoors, it is also recommended that there is 30ft (9.14m) of vertical clearance, to prevent any shots from hitting the roof (or trees/branches for an outdoor court). For major tournaments, the BWF state that there must be a vertical clearance of 39ft (11.88m).