BWF World Ranking

The BWF World Ranking is the official ranking of the Badminton World Federation for badminton players who participate in tournaments sanctioned by Badminton World Federation. It is used to determine the qualification for the World Championships and Summer Olympic Games, as well as BWF World Tour tournaments. Seedings of draws at all BWF-sanctioned tournaments are conducted using the BWF World Ranking. Players under 19 years of age are eligible to rank in the BWF World Junior Ranking, which were introduced in January 2011. The following lists are the rankings:

Overview
The ranking points are awarded based on the level and progress of the tournament from each player/pair. Ranking points calculated are based on the tournaments each players/pairs participate in from the last 52 weeks. If a player or pair has participated in ten or fewer World Ranking tournaments, then the ranking is worked out by adding together the points won at tournaments in the last 52 weeks. If a player or pair has participated in 11 or more World Ranking tournaments, only the 10 highest points scored in the tournaments during the 52-week period count towards their ranking. The highest possible ranking points are 124,000 as of 2022 but will soon increase to 125,000 in 2023 with 4 Super 1000 Tournaments. Though the highest points ever achieved are 122,606 by Viktor Axelsen as ranking points were frozen from 2020–2022.

Points system
Points system used are as follows:

April 1, 1995 – 29 January 2003 system
1. The points system chart:

2. World Badminton Grand Prix Finals are ranked as 6* event, the points system is as follows:

30 January, 2003 – 31 December, 2006 system
The points in the new system are multiplied by 10 from the previous one:

2007–2017 system

 * – At the Olympic Games, third place receives 9,200 points while fourth place receives 8,400 points.

2018–16 April 2024 system
Since 2018, BWF has started a new system for counting points:

(For implementation in tournaments up to and including week 16 2024)


 * – At the Olympic Games 3rd place will receive 10,100 points. Fourth place will receive 9,200 points.
 * – From 2022, at the World Tour Finals' group stage 3rd place will receive 7,500 points. Fourth place will receive 6,600 points.

After 23 April 2024
Since 2024 (Week 17), BWF has used a new system for counting points:


 * – At the Olympic Games 3rd place will receive 11,500 points. Fourth place will receive 10,500 points.
 * – Starting 2024, at the World Tour Finals' group stage 3rd place will receive 8,900 points. Fourth place will receive 7,800 points.

Player rankings
Players in their highest peak are marked in, retired players are marked in italic.

Number one ranked players timeline
The following is a list of players who have achieved the number one position since 1 October 2009 (active players in, and current number 1 players are marked in bold):

Last updated: July 9, 2024

NOTE: BWF froze the World Rankings from 18 March 2020 to 2 February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players with highest career rank 2–5
Last update: 18 June 2024

The following is a list of players who were ranked world no. 5 or higher but not no. 1 in the period since the introduction of the BWF computer rankings (active players in ):