The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the highest authority of the BWF. The Council is the elected governing board and is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the BWF, as well as the oversight of its management and corporate performance in accordance with the BWF’s Strategic Plan.

The Key Decisions of the AGM and Council are published after the meetings and can be found on the Key Decisions page of the website.

AGM

The AGM is usually held in April/May each year. The main business of the AGM is to 1) receive reports from the Council, 2) approve the audited financial accounts, 3) receive the strategic plan of the Federation, 4) approve proposals from Council or Members which may include amendments to the Constitution and Laws of Badminton, and 5) elect the Council every four years.

Council

The roles and responsibilities of Council and the duties of Council members are defined in the BWF Statutes – Section 1.2.1 Guidelines for Council and the procedures for the various bodies are detailed in the Section 1.2.2 Federation Rules and Procedures. Council members sign a Council Member Declaration which is a commitment to legal and ethical obligations as elected officials of the BWF.

In 2020, the AGM introduced rules that required vetting of ‘Officials’ as detailed in Appendix II of the BWF Constitution. More about vetting, the process and the rules, can be found in About Vetting. The Vetting Regulations were enhanced in 2023 and 2024 and successfully applied in the lead up to the elections of Council (2025 – 2029) in April 2025.

• Vice President Pan America
• Vice President Para Badminton
• 20 other Council members
• Chair of the Athletes’ Commission
• Chair of the Para Badminton Athletes’ Commission

Council Meetings 2026

• February / March 2026 – virtual meeting
• Friday 24 April / Sunday 26 & 27 April 2026 – Horsens, Denmark
• July / August 2026 – virtual meeting
• October 2026 – Kuala Lumpur

The Council meets at other times virtually as the need arises. Meetings of the membership (General Meetings – AGM / EGM), BWF Council, committees and commissions can be held in-person, virtually or in a hybrid format (in-person / virtual).

Committees

There are five committees which cover key functional areas of the BWF. Committees consist of Council members only. Within their scope of work, committees formulate plans, policies and make recommendations to the Council for approval.

The Terms of Reference for committees are detailed in Appendix 2, Section 1.2.2 Federation Rules and Procedures.

Committees are:

Commissions

Commissions are specialist groups with particular expertise. Commissions are made up of both Council members and external experts, except for the Athletes’ Commission and the Para badminton Athletes’ Commission whose membership are elected by the relevant athlete population.

The Terms of Reference for commissions are detailed in Appendix 3, Section 1.2.2 Federation Rules and Procedures.

The Commissions are:

Working Groups

The President, the Council or the Chairs of Committees may establish Working Groups who are responsible for assisting the Council or the Committee complete particular tasks.

The Chair of the Committee is responsible for approving the Terms of Reference and composition of the Working Group and recommending to the Council any budget for their operation.

Working Groups

–  BWF Heritage Working Group

Operational Panels

The BWF Secretariat may establish a range of Operational Panels to provide expert advice within specialist areas. These panels consist of people with expert knowledge within the respective areas. They should also where relevant, help ensure views are solicited broadly from the BWF community.

The Secretary General is responsible for establishing the Terms of Reference for these Panels.

Advisory Panels are: