Badminton | Live Scores

Badminton is one of the most widely played recreational sports in the world and one of the most dominant competitive sports in Asia. With over 220 million regular players and over a billion fans, badminton's heartland is Southeast and East Asia — China, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, India, and Cambodia all have deep badminton cultures. The sport combines explosive speed (the shuttlecock can travel at over 490 km/h — the fastest projectile in sport), extraordinary footwork, and tactical intelligence. It is the national sport of Indonesia.

Ancient forms of "battledore and shuttlecock" — hitting a feathered projectile with a paddle — are documented across China, India, Japan, and Greece dating back over 2,000 years. The game was played as a simple recreational pastime without a net. The name "badminton" comes from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England — the country estate of the Duke of Beaufort — where the game with a net was first played (or popularised) around 1873. British military officers posted in British India (particularly in Pune/Poona) also developed a version known as "Poona."

The Badminton Association of England was founded in 1893 and published the first formal rules. The International Badminton Federation (IBF, now BWF — Badminton World Federation) was founded in 1934 with nine founding members. For decades, European nations dominated international badminton. That changed dramatically as Asian nations — particularly Indonesia and Malaysia — developed national coaching programmes. Indonesia won the first eight Uber Cup women's team championships from 1957-1978.

China's ascent to badminton superpower status is one of sport's most comprehensive national dominance stories. From the 1980s onwards, China built systematic state programmes producing extraordinary players. Lin Dan — "Super Dan" — won two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012), five World Championships, and is widely considered the greatest men's singles player in history. On the women's side, Zhang Ning, Xie Xingfang, Li Xuerui, and Chen Yufei each dominated their eras.

Badminton became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The tournament's inclusion brought the sport to new global audiences. Indonesia's Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma both won gold at Barcelona — Indonesia's first-ever Olympic gold medals — making them national heroes and creating a moment that would inspire generations of Indonesian badminton players.

As of June 8, 2026, badminton is 153 years old since its modern codification at Badminton House. In Cambodia, badminton is one of the most commonly played sports — found in schools, parks, and community centres across the country. The sport requires minimal equipment and can be played indoors or outdoors, making it particularly accessible. Southeast Asian Games badminton competition is keenly contested. ZakGT covers the BWF World Tour and major international badminton competitions, bringing results directly to Cambodia and the region.