Taiwan prepares for new badminton tournament rules
台灣準備實施新的羽球賽制
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s badminton authorities are preparing to adjust training and competition formats after the Badminton World Federation announced it will adopt a new best-of-three-game, 15-point scoring system starting in 2027, per CNA.
The BWF said Sunday the change, which replaces the current best-of-three-games, 21-point format, is intended to increase the pace and entertainment value of matches. The new system was approved by more than two-thirds of member votes at the federation’s annual general meeting and is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 4, 2027. Lee Yu-lung (李侑龍), director of the Taiwan Badminton Association, said Taiwan will begin aligning its tournaments with the new format as early as next year, particularly in qualifying competitions, to ensure players remain competitive internationally. Lee said the announcement initially raised concerns that some Taiwanese players might be unprepared for the shift. As a result, the association plans to adopt the new scoring system across major domestic competitions, including high school and university games, as well as qualifying tournaments. “If we want to maintain international competitiveness, we must keep up with the times,” Lee said, per CNA. The shorter format has already been tested at events such as the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. BWF President Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul said the goal is to make the sport more engaging for younger audiences while continuing to invest in long-term player development. She added that the change will also improve tournament scheduling and support player recovery. Patama said the core of badminton will remain unchanged, with technical, physical, and mental demands still central to the sport. However, she noted that shorter matches may better suit modern audiences. |
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| Sean Scanlan Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2026-04-26 |
