The International Badminton Federation was founded in 1934.
Nine national associations established the organisation on 5 July 1934. It was created to coordinate international badminton, standardise rules and oversee major competitions. The body was originally called the International Badminton Federation, commonly abbreviated IBF.
In 2006, the organisation changed its name to the Badminton World Federation, or BWF. The governing body now regulates international badminton, maintains the Laws of Badminton and sanctions major tournaments, including world championships and world tour events.
The federation’s creation came before badminton became an Olympic medal sport. Badminton appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich Olympics and as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics before entering the Olympic programme at Barcelona in 1992. The founding year is therefore an important marker in the sport’s transition from national and regional play to a coordinated global system.