After football, badminton is one of the most popular and commonly played sports worldwide. And it is ranked as the number one racket sport before tennis.
According to a survey, it is said that around 220 million people across the world enjoy playing this sport. Japan, Indonesia, China, and South Korea are the top four nations that have inbuild some of the best, extremely strong players and even legends.
Well, Asian countries have dominated the badminton world since its inception, with the most dominant country being China.
Rather than these four nations, here are some other countries that we will discuss below:
Top Badminton Countries
The scene of this racket sport in recent years has been exciting because of the wide diversity of strong nations. As you can see in the diagram, the data below reflects the ranking of the players from the 10 countries that have gained a lot of achievements:
Now let’s begin and learn more about these top countries:
1. China
China has consistently been the top-ranked badminton nation in the world, with numerous Olympic and World Championship titles to their credit. It is so because China has a long history of success in this sport, as this racket sport is played widely across the country and is supported by the government and private sector. The Chinese government invests heavily in developing high-quality training facilities and coaching programs for young players.
The Chinese badminton system places a lot of emphasis on developing young players. The country has a well-established system for identifying and nurturing talent, focusing on developing the game’s physical, technical, and mental aspects.
Rather than this, the Chinese badminton system has a very strong team of coaches and support staff who work with players at all levels. These coaches and support staff are highly trained and experienced, providing the players with the guidance and support they need to succeed at the highest levels of the sport.
Also, China is widely considered the powerhouse of badminton and has produced some of the best players in the world. Here are some of the top Chinese badminton players of all time:
(a) Lin Dan: He is a two-time Olympic champion, five-time world champion, and six-time All-England champion. Also, he is the first and only player to win this feat.
(b) Chen Long: He won the Olympic gold medal in men’s singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He also won two World Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.
(c) Gao Ling: Gao Ling won four Olympic medals, including two gold, one bronze, and one silver. She won four medals in world championships, five gold medals in the uber cup, three in the Sudirman cup, and one in the badminton world cup.
(d) Zhang Jun: He is a retired Chinese player who won the Olympic gold medal in men’s doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, three World Championship titles, and numerous other major titles.
(e) Yu Yang: She is a retired Chinese player who won two Olympic gold medals, five World Championship titles in women’s doubles, and numerous other major titles.
2. Japan
Japan has emerged as a major force in badminton in recent years, with top-ranked players in both men’s and women’s singles. Compared to China, China has only one women’s singles player in the top 10 list, but Japan has Nozomi Okuhara and Akane Yamaguchi. These both are consistent players and have a defensive style; therefore, they sometimes face some challenges with attacking players such as PV Sindhu and Carolina Marlin.
Moreover, Kento Momota is the World’s no. 1 scripting history with his performances. Undoubtedly, he is the greatest men’s singles player Japan has produced and one of the best the World has ever seen.
Rather than this, Japan has a highly competitive domestic badminton scene, with many talented players competing at the highest levels. It has created a strong culture of competition and excellence that has helped Japanese players succeed on the world stage.
Here are some of the top Japanese players of all time:
(a) Kento Momota: He is one of the best men’s singles players and has won the World Championship twice in 2018 and 2019.
(b) Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo: They won the women’s doubles gold medal at the 2016 Olympics and the World Championship in 2014 and 2018.
(c) Noriko Nakayama: She won the women’s singles gold medal at the 1987 World Championships.
3. Indonesia
Badminton is a national sport of Indonesia though it originated in British India. It is also very popular in Indonesia, and today its players even excel on the national and international stage.
Indonesia gave us top world champions like Taufik Hidayat, Tontowi Ahmad, Liliyana Natsir, and Sony Dwi Kuncoro. Rather than this, some recent (2012) Olympic gold medalists like Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu also belong to Indonesia.
The Indonesian government provides scholarships to their athletes and supports them timely. They have dominated the sport just after China and Japan in these recent years. And have sent their best representative to perform in all prestigious international tournaments and championships.
Here are some of the top Indonesian players of all time:
(a) Taufik Hidayat: is considered one of the greatest badminton players ever. He won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and the World Championship in 2005.
(b) Susi Susanti: She won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics and the World Championship in 1993. She was the first Indonesian woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
(c) Rudy Hartono: He won the All England Open Badminton Championships eight times from 1968 to 1975. He also won the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics.
(d) Hendra Setiawan: He won the men’s doubles gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and the World Championship in 2013 and 2019.
4. South Korea
South Korea has produced many top-ranked players in both men’s and women’s singles, focusing on developing young talent. South Korean players have consistently performed well at international tournaments such as the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games.
This has helped establish South Korea as a strong badminton nation and attract more young players. But where Indonesia suffers in women’s singles, South Korea suffers in men’s singles, and there is no South Korean men’s singles player in the top 10 rankings.
So, South Korea relies on Choi SolGyu and Seo Seung Jae in men’s doubles. They’re solid but have not posted great results in major tournaments, as they have a very low chance against the top players.
Here are some of the top South Korean players of all time:
(a) Park Joo-bong: He won gold medals in both men’s doubles and mixed doubles at the 1992 Olympics and several World Championship titles.
(b) Kim Moon Soo: He won the men’s singles gold medal at the 1990 World Championships and was a dominant player in the 1990s.
(c) Lee Yong Dae: He won gold medals in men’s doubles at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and several World Championship titles.
5. Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) has always provided young talent to the world of badminton, and Tai Tzu Ying (women’s singles) and Chou Tein Chen (men’s doubles) are one of those young talents. This country has a strong track record of success at international tournaments like the Olympics, World Championships, Thomas and Uber cup.
Not only this, but Chinese Taipei has a strong focus on technology and innovation, which helps the players to get a competitive edge. For example, the country has developed advanced badminton rackets that many of its players use.
Here are some of the top Chinese Taipeian players of all time are:
(a) Tai Tzu Ying: She is considered one of the greatest woman single’s players of all time. She has one many international titles and two world championships.
(b) Chou Tein Chen: He is a top men’s singles player and has won several international titles, including the Chinese Taipei Open and the Denmark Open. He has also represented Chinese Taipei at the Olympics and the World Championships.
(c) Lee Sheng Mu: He is a top men’s doubles player and has won several international titles, including the Malaysia and Japan Open. He has also represented Chinese Taipei at the Olympics and the World Championships.
(d) Chen Hung Ling: He is a top mixed doubles player and has won several international titles, including the China Open and the Malaysia Open. He has also represented Chinese Taipei at the Olympics and the World Championships.
6. Malaysia
One of the most well-known Malaysian players today is Lee Chong Wei, who was ranked world number one for 199 weeks and won numerous international titles, including three Olympic silver medals. He retired in 2019, but his legacy in Malaysian badminton lives on.
Other notable Malaysian players include Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon, who won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Olympics, and Lee Zii Jia, who won the All England Championships men’s singles title in 2021.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) continues to support and develop young talent in the country with various training programs and initiatives to nurture the next generation of Malaysian stars. With its rich history and continued success, Malaysia’s badminton journey will continue for years.
Here are some of the top Malaysian badminton players of all time:
(a) Lee Chong Wei: He is considered one of the greatest men’s singles players ever. He has won numerous international titles, including three Olympic silver medals and three World Championships.
(b) Wong Choong Hann: He is a former top men’s singles player and has won several international titles, including the All-England Open and the Asian Games gold medal.
(c) Tan Aik Huang: He was the first Malaysian player to win a medal at the Olympics, winning bronze in the men’s doubles event at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
7. Thailand
Thailand only has representation in 2 of the 5 disciplines- women’s singles and mixed doubles. And they are top contenders in both disciplines and cannot be countered out of any tournament.
Also, this country has a strong badminton culture, with several top players in both men’s and women’s singles. Here are some of the top Thailand players of all time:
(a) Ratchanok Intanon: She is the first Thai badminton player to win a world championship title in women’s singles in 2013. She has also won numerous international titles, including the All-England Open, and is known for her aggressive playing style.
(b) Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam: This mixed doubles pair won several titles, including the BWF World Championships in 2005 and the All England Open in 2007.
(c) Patapol Ngernsrisuk: He is a former world number two in men’s doubles and won numerous titles in his career, including the Asian Games gold medal in 1998.
(d) Boonsak Ponsana: He is a former world number four in men’s singles and won several international titles, including the Thailand Open and the French Open.
(e) Salakjit Ponsana: She is a former world number seven in women’s singles and won several international titles, including the Swiss Open and the Denmark Open.
8. India
India’s growing badminton culture has produced several top players, including P.V Sindhu, who won a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and is ranked World no. 6 in the women’s singles disciplines.
Rather than this, for the very first time, India has a men’s doubles pair in the top 10 ranking- the young duo of Satwik Sairaj and Chirag Shetty. In one instance, they performed their best in the competition and defeated the Chinese pair of Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen.
Here are some of the top Indian badminton players of all time:
(a) Prakash Padukone: He is one of India’s most successful players, having won several international titles, including the All-England Championship in 1980. He was also the first Indian to achieve the world’s number-one ranking in men’s singles.
(b) Pullela Gopichand: He is another Indian legend who won numerous international titles, including the All-England Championship in 2001. He is also a renowned coach who has trained several top Indian players.
(c) Saina Nehwal: She has won 24 titles, which include 10 super-series titles, and also represented her country, India, in the Olympics almost three times. And won an Olympic bronze in her second appearance at London Olympics, which were held in 2012. It made her the first Indian women’s player to win a medal in the Olympics and the first woman to win the BWF series.
(d) PV Sindhu: P.V. Sindhu is a Professional Indian badminton player. She is the first Indian woman to win silver in the Olympics, which were held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Also, she is the youngest player to date with this title.
(e) Syed Modi: A top Indian men’s singles player who won numerous international titles in the 1980s. He was also the national coach of the Indian badminton team before his untimely death in 1988.
9. Denmark
Denmark has a strong badminton tradition, with several top players in both men’s and women’s singles. It is so because Denmark has many experienced and highly qualified coaches who work with players at all levels.
The Denmark Badminton Federation has invested heavily in coaching education programs to ensure coaches have the necessary skills and knowledge to develop players to their full potential.
And here are some of the top Denmark badminton players of all time:
(a) Peter Gade: Peter Gade is another top Danish player who won numerous international titles, including the All-England Championship in 1999 and 2001. He was also the world’s number-one ranked player and a successful coach.
(b) Camila Martin: Camilla Martin is another top Danish women’s singles player who won several international titles, including the Olympic bronze medal in 2000 and the World Championship in 1999.
(c) Morten Frost: Morten Frost is one of Denmark’s most successful badminton players, having won numerous international titles, including the All-England Championship four times. He was also the world’s number-one ranked player and a successful coach.
10. Hong Kong
Ng Ka Long is ranked 8th according to BWF but has a tough time playing with stronger opponents.
And talking about mixed doubles, Hong Kong has Tang Chu Man and Tse Ying Suet. They are ranked World no. 10 but have not gone far in any tournament.
Rather than these, players here are some of the top Hong Kong badminton players of all time:
(a) Shixian Wang: He is a former Hong Kong women’s singles player who was a world number one ranked player in 2011. She won several international titles, including the All-England Championship in 2014 and the BWF Super Series Finals in 2012.
(b) Tsz Ka Chan: He is a current Hong Kong mixed doubles player who has won several international titles, including the BWF Super Series Finals in 2016 and the Asian Championships in 2018.
(c) Ching Hei Lee is a former Hong Kong men’s doubles player who won several international titles, including the BWF World Championships bronze medal in 2010.
Final Words
So, these top badminton countries have provided some of the best players of all time to the world badminton, as it has become one of the most popular sports in the countries like India, Denmark, Indonesia, China and Japan. But we still await to see some more faces in the badminton world from these and other native countries.
And in case you face any problems or have any questions regarding this post, feel free to ask us or pin them up in the comment section below.