Where is Badminton Played? 10 Countries Where it's Popular

For most, Badminton is seen as a casual game; something you play in the backyard. But don’t be fooled, Badminton is a very serious sport. It is the fastest racket sport in the world with the shuttlecock speed up to 265 mph (sounds dangerous right?).

The International Badminton Federation was formed in 1934 and in 2006 their name changed to Badminton World Federation (BWF), of which there are approximately 47 members. China has been dominating the world championship, with 167 medals overall. Let’s look at the countries where it’s popular.

1. China

China is not dominating the world championship in Badminton because only a few people play it, no, there are over 100 million people in China who play. Another aspect that assists in China’s domination is that their government looks after their players in terms of housing, food, and training programs.

2. Canada

In the late 1890s, military personnel introduced this game in Vancouver where it spread to other regions of Canada. Opposite to China, the badminton players don`t get as much support from the government, which results in much fewer players since there is not a lot of money in this sport in Canada.

3. Denmark

Badminton is a very popular sport in Denmark. One of the reasons for this is some of the biggest television networks broadcast the tournaments live. Another reason is that the game is accessible as it is a sport offered by most schools – from elementary to high school.

4. France

France has one thing that sets them apart from the rest of the world in terms of Badminton which is the Badminton French Open. This year it took place 26-31 October with an astonishing amount of US$600 000 prize money, which may just be convincing enough to get you to start playing Badminton.

5. Indonesia

Indonesia is the only country that has badminton as its national sport. You can find outdoor and indoor courts throughout the country and many of the top international players are from Indonesia currently.

6. England

Badminton is a very popular sport in England, being derived from Poona which is a game that the British military played while stationed in India. In England, badminton is usually played indoors due to weather which can affect the direction of the shuttlecock.

7. New Zealand

In 2012, there were approximately 120,000 badminton players in New Zealand, which is a lot considering that their population was only 4.4 million. The organization for badminton in New Zealand was founded in 1927 by Ralph Creed who was also a founding member of the BWF.

8. Ireland

Badminton is evolved in Ireland through different strategies like being a sport that is presented by some schools and the fact that there are funding opportunities available for badminton players.

9. Scotland

Badminton is one of the fastest-growing sports in Scotland due to the fact that there are few barriers to partaking in terms of age, fitness, and athletic ability. The sport is enjoyed socially and competitively by age groups ranging from elementary school children to geriatrics.

10. Wales

The Governing Body for Badminton in Wales is motivated to ensure that this sport is inclusive to everyone in their country with their motto being: One Court, One Sport. They even have disability badminton available, which trained Badminton players for the badminton debut in Paralympic games in 2020.