BADMINTON

Badminton England’s strategy, launched in September 2023, is now a quarter of its way in. SportsNation looks in detail at the plans outlined in the 10-year blueprint and the progress made since launch

adminton has long been one of England’s most accessible racket sports. Played in school sports halls, leisure centres and community venues across the country, most people have experienced the sport at some point of their life. Yet, accessibility alone does not guarantee long-term growth. Like many governing bodies, Badminton England has spent considerable time and effort on coming up with ways to convert the sport’s large casual player base into an engaged and sustainable community. The launch of Badminton England’s 10-year strategy in September 2023, titled Badminton – A Sport for Everyone, is aimed at growing the sport at every level. Now, approaching the mid-point of its early implementation phase, the strategy is beginning to shape how the sport develops across England.

A strategy centred on inclusivity

At the heart of Badminton England’s long-term vision is a clear ambition: to make badminton the most inclusive and accessible sport in England. The strategy is built around two overarching priorities – engaging more young people and ensuring the sport is open, welcoming and inclusive to participants from every background.

“The new strategy is unashamedly focused on young people and inclusivity,” says Sue Storey, CEO of Badminton England. “We want everyone to pick up a racket and hit a shuttle, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, background or circumstances, proud to be part of a thriving community and develop a lifelong passion for our sport.”

The new strategy is unashamedly focused on young people and inclusivity

The governing body believes the sport is uniquely positioned to deliver on that vision. Badminton can be played competitively or socially, by people of all ages, and in venues that already exist in most communities.

The challenge lies in connecting the national governing body with the large number of players who participate informally. Badminton England estimates that around one million people in the UK play badminton each year, yet only around 150,000 participants are currently connected to the governing body’s systems and programmes. Bridging that gap remains one of the organisation’s most important tasks.

The five pillars of the plan

The strategy itself is structured around five pillars:

PLACES – ensuring that courts and facilities remain available and accessible

THRIVE – building strong local badminton communities

DEVELOP – supporting coaches, volunteers and player pathways

PERFORM – strengthening elite and high-performance systems

INSPIRE – growing participation and inspiring new players

Together, these pillars form the framework through which Badminton England intends to grow participation and performance simultaneously. The approach recognises that a healthy grassroots system and a successful elite programme are closely linked.

The “places” pillar is all about ensuring the sport has the facilities it needs. The strategy outlines a mission to protect and open places to play the sport. Badminton England says this will be achieved through a combination of creating more courts and redeveloping ageing/underused ones.

The main goal, however, is to ensure that there are more courts available in areas where they are needed through high demand, to ensure that the growing badminton community is catered for. “In most areas of the country there is a supply/demand issue with more courts being repurposed or no longer safe for use,” Badminton England says. “This is resulting in our community finding it harder to locate affordable, good quality courts.”

According to the NGB, there are currently just under 24,000 courts in operation across the country – but not all are open or bookable for badminton. The figure is the number of courts marked in the country in a variety of schools, leisure, public and community buildings.

When it comes to investing in new facilities, however, Badminton England is looking for help. “We do not currently have any funding available and this is something that we would like to work with external funders to change,” the NGB says.

MORE THAN 800,000 ADULTS IN ENGLAND PLAY BADMINTON REGULARLY

Participation trends

Recent participation data suggests the sport is growing. According to Sport England’s Active Lives Survey, more than 800,000 adults in England play badminton regularly, with participation levels rising modestly since the early 2020s.

This growth reflects badminton’s position as a sport that is both affordable and easy to access, particularly compared with activities that require specialist venues or expensive equipment.

Badminton England has also reported gradual increases in membership and engagement through its digital platforms and club network.

While still short of the governing body’s long-term ambition of 250,000 active and registered participants by the end of 2026, the upward trend suggests that its engagement strategy is beginning to gain traction.

Facilities: protecting places to play

Facilities remain one of the most significant challenges facing badminton. Badminton England estimates that 23,848 badminton courts exist across England in around 7,555 facilities, including schools, leisure centres and community buildings.

However, not all of these courts are available to the public or easily bookable. The governing body has therefore prioritised protecting existing courts while improving access through digital tools and partnerships with leisure operators.

One initiative currently under development is a national database of badminton courts, designed to allow players to quickly find and book available venues. By linking facility data directly to Badminton England’s digital platforms, the governing body hopes to remove one of the most common barriers to participation: simply finding somewhere to play.

At the same time, the organisation continues to advocate for the protection of indoor sports facilities, particularly at a time when leisure centres face financial pressure.

PARTICIPATION PROGRAMMES REMAIN CENTRAL TO BADMINTON ENGLAND’S GROWTH STRATEGY

Growing the grassroots game

Participation programmes remain central to Badminton England’s growth strategy.

One of the most established initiatives is No Strings Badminton, a pay-and-play programme designed to introduce new participants to the sport in a relaxed, social environment.

Sessions are delivered through leisure centres and community venues, offering a flexible alternative to traditional club membership. The programme has proven particularly successful at attracting adults who want to play badminton recreationally rather than competitively.

More recently, the governing body has launched Shuttle Stars, a junior participation programme aimed at introducing children, aged seven to 11, to the game. The initiative focuses on fun, skill-based activities designed to introduce young players to the sport before they progress into clubs or school teams. By creating a clear entry point for children, Badminton England hopes to strengthen the pipeline of young players entering the sport.

Inclusion at the centre

Inclusion remains a key theme running throughout the strategy. Badminton England has continued to expand programmes designed to engage under-represented groups, including people with disabilities, women and girls, and participants from ethnically diverse communities.

Partnerships with organisations such as Sense Active have enabled the development of sensory badminton sessions for people with complex disabilities.

Meanwhile, collaboration with Special Olympics Great Britain is helping to strengthen competitive pathways for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Internally, the governing body has also established an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, ensuring that lived experiences from across the badminton community help shape decision-making. The initiatives reflect Badminton England’s belief that the sport’s natural inclusivity must be reinforced through structured programmes and community engagement.

Beyond grassroots participation, the strategy also seeks to strengthen the sport’s performance pathway. Badminton England aims to support players and coaches in achieving success at the highest levels of international competition. Investment in talent development programmes and national competitions forms a key part of the work.

By linking grassroots participation with elite performance pathways, the governing body hopes to create a system in which young players can see a clear route from local clubs to international competition. Major events, such as the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships – which took place in early March 2026 and is one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments – also play an important role in inspiring new players while raising the sport’s profile internationally.

Special olympics gblaunches badminton development plan

Special Olympics Great Britain has made badminton the third sport to have a tailored development plan produced to help athletes with an intellectual disability thrive in the sport. Backed by Badminton England, the Badminton Development Plan aims to strengthen and grow badminton opportunities for Special Olympics GB athletes, from weekly training at grassroots clubs to international competitions.

The plan builds on a recent strategic partnership developed by Special Olympics International with the Badminton World Federation and has been created with input from coaches and Special Olympics GB’s National Sports Advisors.

Leanne Brown, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Badminton England, said: “With inclusion at the heart of our strategy for badminton in England, we want to make the sport as inclusive as possible for everyone. Initially, this partnership is focused on coach development; we’re looking to increase the number of qualified coaches amongst Special Olympics GB’s network through upskilling their athletes and volunteers to become Foundation Badminton Coaches. We will support the coaches throughout their coaching journey to be confident in delivering welcoming, accessible and inclusive sessions.”

The challenges ahead

While Badminton England has made progress in delivering on its strategy aims, several challenges remain. Competition from other sports and leisure activities – such as padel and the ever-popular football – means that the sport will continue to fight for attention, particularly among younger audiences.

Access to facilities can also pose a challenge in some areas. Many leisure centres now have to balance the needs of multiple sports, meaning badminton sometimes competes for court time with activities that can accommodate larger groups.

For Badminton England, the solution lies in data-driven advocacy and partnership working.

By demonstrating demand and participation levels, the governing body hopes to ensure badminton remains a priority activity within shared sports facilities.

Looking forward

As the strategy moves into its next phase, Badminton England will continue focusing on youth engagement, facility access and inclusive participation. Expanding junior programmes such as Shuttle Stars, strengthening links between schools and clubs, and improving digital access to courts are all expected to play an important role.

Equally important will be maintaining the strong sense of community that exists within badminton.

“Our foundations are strong,” the governing body says. “There are a million people playing badminton regularly in this country, but to ensure our long-term health we must continue to engage, energise and connect this community.”

If that ambition can be realised, badminton may well strengthen its position as one of England’s most accessible and widely played sports.

INCLUSION IN PRACTICE