What does 'love all; play' mean?

It is the end of the umpire's call that starts a game, and game two begins with its own number in the call before it. The final game opens with 'Final game; love all; play'.

How does a badminton umpire introduce a match?

The umpire introduces the player on the right, then the left, then the server, and closes with 'love all; play'. In doubles the announcement ends 'X to serve to Y; love all; play'.

What does the umpire say at the end of a game?

'Game' is called straight after the last rally, then the result. After the second game, for example, the call is 'Second game won by ..., (score); One game all' when the games are level.

What does 'Correction, IN' mean in badminton?

It is the standard call an umpire makes when overruling a line call, here to say the shuttle was in.

What does the umpire call for a high serve?

The standard explanation is 'Service fault called, too high'. The umpire can also ask 'Service Judge - signal, please'.

What calls does the umpire use for an injured player?

The injury calls include 'Are you OK?', 'Can you play on?' and 'Do you need the doctor?'.

What does the umpire announce after a challenge?

The umpire announces the challenge, then the correction, the score and 'Play'. Afterwards the result, the challenges left and the score are announced before 'Play'.

Badminton · Laws of Badminton

Law 22: The Umpire's Vocabulary

2 parts · 2 tests · 20 facts · updated 29 October 2026 · markdown

Badminton officials speak in a fixed set of words. Law 22 brings together the definitions in the Laws of Badminton and the BWF standard vocabulary: what a rally, a stroke and the serving side are, and the exact announcements the umpire makes from the first serve to the last point.

The definitions are short. A rally is a sequence of one or more strokes starting with the service, until the shuttle ceases to be in play; a stroke is a movement of the player's racket with an intention to hit the shuttle; the serving side is the side having the right to serve; singles is a match with one player on each of the opposing sides. At the start, the umpire introduces the player on the right, then the left, then the server, ending with 'love all; play'. In doubles the announcement ends 'X to serve to Y; love all; play'. 'Game' is called straight after the last rally, followed by the result, and after the interval game two begins with its own number in the call. The final game opens with 'Final game; love all; play'.

During play there are set calls for lets, corrections, misconduct, service faults, coaches and injuries. The facts below cover the definitions, the announcements that start and end games and the calls used during play, including those around a challenge.

22.221Definitions and Match Calls

Rally, stroke, sides and singles; the start and end of games.

Test 1The Laws' definitions and the umpire's match callsTake a test

A rally is a sequence of one or more strokes starting with the service, until the shuttle ceases to be in play.
Source: BWF Laws 2027, Law Definitions · recall
A stroke is a movement of the player's racket with an intention to hit the shuttle.
Source: BWF Laws 2027, Law Definitions · recall
The serving side is the side having the right to serve.
Source: BWF Laws 2027, Law Definitions · recall
Singles: a match with one player on each of the opposing sides.
Source: BWF Laws 2027, Law Definitions · recall
The doubles announcement ends 'X to serve to Y; love all; play'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.1.3 · recall
To start the final game the umpire calls 'Final game; love all; play'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.3 · recall
'Second game won by ..., (score); One game all'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 6.3, 6.4 · applied
'Game' straight after the last rally, the result, then the start of game two after the interval.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 6.1, 6.2, 2.2 · recall
The umpire introduces the right, then the left, then the server and 'love all; play'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.1.1 · recall
Game two begins with its own number in the call, then 'love all; play'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.2 · applied

22.222Calls During Play

Lets, corrections, misconduct, service faults, coaching and challenges.

Test 1The umpire's calls during playTake a test

'Play a let' is in the standard list of calls on the progress of a match.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.6 · recall
The umpire calls 'Correction, IN' when overruling.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.4.6 · applied
'Come here' opens the misconduct calls.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.10.1 · recall
The standard explanation is 'Service fault called, too high'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 4.1 · recall
'Service Judge - signal, please' is the standard call.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.14 · recall
'Coach(es) return to your chair(s)' is the standard call.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.6.1 · recall
The injury calls include 'Are you OK?', 'Can you play on?' and 'Do you need the doctor?'.
Source: BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.7.2 · applied
Announce the challenge, then the correction, the score and 'Play'.
Source: BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.5, 5.8.7 · recall
The result, the challenges left, the score, then 'Play'.
Source: BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.8 · recall
With no review system, an umpire who is also unsighted calls 'Let' followed by the score.
Source: BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.3.3; BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.3 · applied

Questions people ask

What is a rally in badminton?: A rally is a sequence of one or more strokes starting with the service, until the shuttle ceases to be in play.
What does 'love all; play' mean?: It is the end of the umpire's call that starts a game, and game two begins with its own number in the call before it. The final game opens with 'Final game; love all; play'.
How does a badminton umpire introduce a match?: The umpire introduces the player on the right, then the left, then the server, and closes with 'love all; play'. In doubles the announcement ends 'X to serve to Y; love all; play'.
What does the umpire say at the end of a game?: 'Game' is called straight after the last rally, then the result. After the second game, for example, the call is 'Second game won by ..., (score); One game all' when the games are level.
What does 'Correction, IN' mean in badminton?: It is the standard call an umpire makes when overruling a line call, here to say the shuttle was in.
What does the umpire call for a high serve?: The standard explanation is 'Service fault called, too high'. The umpire can also ask 'Service Judge - signal, please'.
What calls does the umpire use for an injured player?: The injury calls include 'Are you OK?', 'Can you play on?' and 'Do you need the doctor?'.
What does the umpire announce after a challenge?: The umpire announces the challenge, then the correction, the score and 'Play'. Afterwards the result, the challenges left and the score are announced before 'Play'.

Sources

BWF Laws of Badminton, V6.0 in force 4 January 2027, Definitions, and BWF Statutes Section 4.1.5 Vocabulary V7.0 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Laws, not reproduced)

BWF Laws 2027, Law Definitions4
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.1.31
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.31
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 6.3, 6.41
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 6.1, 6.2, 2.21
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.1.11
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 2.21
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.61
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.4.61
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.10.11
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 4.11
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.141
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.6.11
BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.7.21
BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.5, 5.8.71
BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.81
BWF ITTO 2025, 5.8.3.3; BWF Vocabulary 2025, 3.1.31