From 1 September 2026, RSL is the Official Shuttlecock Supplier to Badminton England, and Central Sports is the official retail partner selling those shuttles to players and clubs. RSL shuttles are now the minimum standard across Badminton England's tournament structure, from U11 events to Masters and Senior Gold tournaments. Three shuttles cover every level: the RSL Classic Tourney, the RSL Tourney No.3 and the RSL Classic Academy, all available at Central Sports in speeds 77 and 78.
Badminton England announced the partnership on 20 August 2026: Celebrating 100 Years of Shuttle Innovation with RSL + Badminton England.
The partnership has history behind it. From 1947 to 1983, the RSL No.1 Tourney was the official shuttle of the All England Championships, made at RSL's factory in Kent. Nearly 80 years after that first partnership, RSL and Badminton England are working together again.
Which shuttle does Badminton England use at each tournament?
From 1 September 2026, each Badminton England tournament has a minimum RSL shuttle requirement based on age group and grade. Use the tables below to find the shuttle for your next event, and train with the same one beforehand.
| Tournament | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Tier 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | Classic Tourney | Classic Tourney | Classic Tourney | N/A |
| Senior | Classic Tourney | Classic Tourney | Classic Tourney | Tourney No.3 |
| U19 | Classic Tourney | Tourney No.3 | Tourney No.3 | N/A |
| U17 | Classic Tourney | Tourney No.3 | Tourney No.3 | N/A |
| U15 | Tourney No.3 | Classic Academy | Classic Academy | N/A |
| U13 | Classic Academy | Classic Academy | Classic Academy | N/A |
| U11 | Classic Academy | Classic Academy | Classic Academy | N/A |
| Team event | Shuttle |
|---|---|
| U18 Inter-County Championships (ICT) | Classic Tourney |
| Senior County Championships (SCC) | Classic Tourney |
| Masters County Championships (MCC) | Classic Tourney |
These are minimum requirements, as set out by Badminton England. A tournament organiser can use a higher-grade shuttle, so check the event details before you play.
Which RSL shuttles are used in Badminton England tournaments?
Three RSL feather shuttles cover the whole tournament structure. Each suits a different level of play and price point.
RSL Classic Tourney: Masters, Senior and team events
The RSL Classic Tourney is RSL's top tournament shuttle and is approved by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for international play. Badminton England requires it at all Masters and Senior tournaments (Gold, Silver and Bronze), at U19 and U17 Gold, and at the ICT, SCC and MCC team events.
It is made from selected goose feathers, and every shuttle is tested twice for speed and flight. Any shuttle with a feather defect is rejected. Like the No.1 Tourney used at the All England Championships from 1947, it uses a full natural feather skirt and a precisely weighted cork base.
Speeds: 77 and 78.
RSL Tourney No.3: U15 Gold, U17 and U19 Silver and Bronze, Senior Tier 4
The RSL Tourney No.3 is a feather shuttle for league and club play as one of Europe's best-selling league shuttles. Badminton England requires it at U15 Gold, U17 and U19 Silver and Bronze, and Senior Tier 4 tournaments.
It gives county and club players consistent flight and durability for less than the Classic Tourney.
Speeds: 77 and 78.
RSL Classic Academy: U11, U13, and U15 Silver and Bronze
The RSL Classic Academy is built for junior play and skills training. Badminton England requires it at all U11 and U13 tournaments and at U15 Silver and Bronze.
It uses 100% goose feathers, so juniors learn with genuine feather flight, and is priced for the volumes clubs and junior squads get through in training.
Speeds: 77 and 78.
Who is RSL?
RSL stands for Reinforced Shuttlecocks Ltd. Founder Richard Webber began hand-making shuttlecocks at home in the 1920s, and by 1930 the business had become Reinforced Shuttlecocks Ltd. Within a decade it was producing 40,000 shuttles a week. Its No.1 Tourney went on to become the official shuttle of the All England Championships from 1947 to 1983.
Today RSL produces over 100 million shuttlecocks a year across 22 factories in China. As well as 16-feather tournament shuttles, it makes 8-feather club shuttles from feather offcuts and is introducing 15-feather hybrid shuttles, including the new Hybird 5.
Speed 77 or 78: which should you buy?
Buy speed 77 for warm halls and speed 78 for cool halls. A higher number means a faster shuttle. Shuttles fly faster in warm air, so a slower shuttle (77) keeps the flight correct when the hall is warm, and a faster one (78) makes up for the drag of cold air. Many UK sports halls are cool for most of the year, so 78 is a common choice from autumn to spring.
To test a shuttle, hit a full underhand stroke from the back boundary line straight down the court. A correctly paced shuttle lands between 530 mm and 990 mm short of the opposite back boundary line, as set out in the Laws of Badminton. If it lands further, move down a speed. If it falls shorter, move up a speed.
For tournaments, the organiser normally chooses the speed on the day, so train with the speed that suits the halls you usually play in.
Badminton England member pricing
Badminton England members get special prices on shuttles at Central Sports. Register through the Central Sports x Badminton England portal and order with the email address registered with Badminton England.
Register with the BE portal | Shop the full RSL shuttle range
Free RSL Hybird 5 sample with orders over £150
Spend £150 or more in one order that includes at least one tube of shuttles, and we'll add a free sample tube of the new RSL Hybird 5 shuttle before it goes on general sale at Central Sports. Hybird 5 is one of RSL's new 15-feather hybrid shuttles. Samples are limited and go out first come, first served, so the offer ends once they run out.
Frequently asked questions
What shuttle does Badminton England use?
From 1 September 2026, Badminton England uses RSL shuttles across its tournament structure. The minimum shuttle depends on age group and grade: the RSL Classic Tourney for Masters, Senior and team events, the RSL Tourney No.3 for mid-grade junior events and Senior Tier 4, and the RSL Classic Academy for U11, U13 and lower-grade U15 events.
Who supplies Badminton England's shuttles?
RSL is Badminton England's Official Shuttlecock Supplier. Central Sports is the official retail partner, selling the RSL tournament range to players and clubs through centralsports.co.uk and its stores in Birmingham.
When do the new shuttle requirements start?
The RSL shuttle requirements apply to Badminton England tournaments from 1 September 2026.
Is the RSL Classic Tourney BWF approved?
Yes. The RSL Classic Tourney is approved by the Badminton World Federation for international tournaments.
Do I need an RSL shuttle for county league or club matches?
The requirements in this article apply to Badminton England graded tournaments and national team events. County leagues and clubs set their own shuttle rules, so check with your league secretary.
How do Badminton England members get discounted shuttles?
Log in to your Central Sports account using the email address registered with Badminton England. BE member prices then show automatically on the site, so there is no discount code to enter.
Should I choose speed 77 or 78?
Choose 77 for warm halls and 78 for cool halls. Test by hitting a full underhand stroke from the back boundary line: a correctly paced shuttle lands between 530 mm and 990 mm short of the opposite back boundary line.
What was the official shuttle of the All England Championships?
From 1947 to 1983, the official shuttle of the All England Championships was the RSL No.1 Tourney, made at RSL's factory in Kent.
Images: Lara Suffel / el plan studios
