Asia is home to some of the best badminton players in the world. Badminton is very popular in most Asian countries, some of which are very prominent in this regard. On the other hand, Europe may not be as strong in badminton as some other sports, but that doesn't mean they aren't trying.
Over the past few decades, badminton has seen a significant increase in popularity throughout Asia. This is evident in the large number of people who play the sport and the continent's dominance in international competitions.
History shows that Asia has a great chance for continued success in badminton. Since the sport became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992, only six of the 44 men's and women's singles medals have gone to athletes from outside Asia. In fact, at the 2019 World Badminton Championships in Switzerland, all but one of the 20 medals on offer were won by Asian athletes.
The dominance of Asian badminton players at the highest level has inspired other players to join and participate in the sport, creating a healthy playing base. The results of a survey conducted by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2018 showed that one in eight people in Malaysia play badminton more often than football, which is usually considered the most popular sport in the country.
The sport of badminton is very popular throughout the Asian region. In most cities in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, locals play badminton more than any other sport. The sport's financial rewards can also be substantial, with athletes such as India's P.V. Sindhu earning up to $5.5 million in 2018, making her one of the highest-earning athletes in the world outside of tennis.
China has a large share of the badminton market, with 100 million players, and has won 41 Olympic medals in various badminton categories. Its achievements exceed those of the next two countries, Indonesia and South Korea. In India, badminton has been second only to cricket in terms of participation since 2012.
In Europe, however, the sport has struggled to match the enthusiasm seen in Asia. Even in Denmark, the most successful badminton country in Europe, the number of players has halved in the last three decades to around 100,000. One of the contributing factors is the lack of prize money and sponsorship in the game in Europe, which is very different from the conditions in Asia.
Across the board, the majority of top finishes reported by the BWF come from Asia. With Asia's dominance in the world rankings, more and more players are interested in getting involved in the sport, even just for recreation.
The more successful countries are on the international stage, the more people will get involved in sports.
