Team relay system, 3×15 scoring format: Changes being tested at World Junior Badminton C’ships explained

An updated scoring system in mixed team event, along with 3×15 format, will be trialled as part of the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) broader testing and analysis programme when Guwahati hosts the World Junior Championships in October.

The prestigious tournament will take place at the National Centre of Excellence at the Assam capital, with the BWF and the Badminton Association of India (BAI) jointly introducing the two new formats to make the competition more exciting and attract global audience to the game.

What is the new relay format in badminton team events being tested?

A revamped relay format will be implemented in the mixed team tournament, with the best of three sets up to 45 points, with each set comprising five matches — one of each event from men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

According to the team relay format, each tie will consist of three sets, with each set comprising five matches.

Each match will be won once a player or pair scores nine points. The second match will begin from the score at which the first ended, and play will continue cumulatively until one of the teams reaches 45 points.

Two more sets will be played in a similar manner, and the team winning two out of the three sets will be declared the winner.

The system builds on a version first trialled at the 2024 BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships in China, where it received encouraging feedback. Insights from that event have helped shape the updated format to be introduced in Guwahati.

What is the new 3×15 scoring format in badminton being tested?

In the individual competition, the 3×15 scoring format will be tested as part of the BWF’s innovation programme. The news of introducing this format was made public back in February.

ALSO READ | BWF to test new 3×15 scoring system in selected competitions from April

Explaining the reasons behind selecting the new scoring system, BWF had said: “Compared to the current system, 3×15 has fewer points per game, which increases the probability that each point will be more exciting. Compared to the current system, 3×15 reaches the end points in games faster and strikes the best balance of excitement, both in each game and in the overall number of games.”

The BWF had also stated that the 3×15 system would lead to shorter matches and better scheduling, maintain fan interest, and benefit player health and longevity.

Both scoring formats were approved by the BWF Council at the AGM held in Xiamen, China in April.

The team championship will be held from October 6 to 11, while the individual events will take place from October 13 to 19.

In the lead-up to the championships, virtual workshops will be held for team managers and coaches to ensure all stakeholders are aligned with the regulations and operational procedures.

To support future decisions regarding these innovations, BWF will also conduct stakeholder surveys and analyse vital match data.

“This is part of BWF’s wider long-term considerations for innovation in events and event delivery. The broader goal remains to modernise badminton in ways that protect athlete wellbeing while making the sport even more exciting and engaging for global audiences,” BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund said in a release on Wednesday.

The World Junior Championships were last held in India in Pune in 2008, but the country has since hosted the 2009 BWF World Championships in Hyderabad and the 2014 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in New Delhi.