JAKARTA - The 25-second time clock rule and continuous play from the World Badminton Federation (BWF) will be tested in the 2026 Indonesia Masters tournament which takes place this month in Jakarta.
This rule has been tested in certain BWF World Tour tournaments, including the 2026 Indonesia Masters which will take place at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, on January 20-25, 2026.
This regulation is used to increase the consistency of regulation enforcement and reduce delays between rallies.
Through the time clock system, players - especially servers - have a maximum of 25 seconds to prepare for the next service after a rally ends.
The time clock will start counting down from the time the referee enters the previous rally score. The implementation of this system provides an objective time measurement so as to reduce the element of subjectivity in the referee's assessment of the game delay.
In addition, BWF also emphasized clarity regarding the activities allowed for players between the rallies. During this 25-second time, players can do various activities on the side of the court, such as wiping towels, drinking, tying shoe laces, to using cold spray that is applied by themselves without the need for referee permission.
However, the server receiver is still required to follow the server tempo and is not allowed to slow down the game.
In a match using a time clock, a request for a shuttlecock change must be submitted immediately after the rally ends and completed within 25 seconds.
If it is necessary to clear the field for a longer duration, the referee has the authority to stop the time clock. Meanwhile, for a short clearing, the time clock will still run.
If this regulation is implemented, the referee has the authority to impose sanctions for undue time delays, ranging from warnings (verbal warnings), yellow cards (yellow cards), to red cards (red cards) according to the level and repetition of the offense. However, during this trial period, only warnings (verbal warnings) will be imposed.
The trial period for this rule will be evaluated before it is permanently determined by BWF at the AGM Meeting or Council Meeting.
If it is judged to be successful, the implementation of time clocks and continuous game provisions will be fully implemented throughout 2026.
For matches that have not used the time clock, the delay assessment is still carried out as before, with an emphasis that the server receiver must follow the server's tempo.
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