Event Details

Dates

Monday 7 – Friday 11 September 2026

Venue

Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre (QEII), 73 Eleventh Avenue, Tauranga

Entry Fee

$80.00 per player (NZ$)

RegistrATION TimeliNe

Entries Open

Friday 20 March 2026 at 9:00 AM

Entries Close

Wednesday 3 June 2026 at 7:59 PM

All registrations must be submitted online by each school’s designated Zespri AIMS Games Coordinator using their unique login code.

CONTACT

Email: info@nzaimsgames.co.nz​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

PLANNING INFORMATION

Entry Fees

• NZ$80.00 per player (non-refundable)
• Payment is due within 7 days of invoice receipt
• Invoices will be issued to school accounts managers after entries close

Eligibility

Students must be aged over 10 and under 13 years as of 31 December 2025. For the 2026 Games, eligible birth years are 2013, 2014, and 2015. Birthdates must be provided during registration.

Competition Divisions

• Boys Singles
• Girls Singles
• Boys Doubles
• Girls Doubles
• Mixed Doubles

There is no restriction on the number of Badminton players a school may register. If entries exceed capacity, priority will be given to recognised BNZ graded players. Unsuccessful entries will be refunded.

Player Requirements

To ensure a fair and enjoyable competition:

• All participants must understand the rules and be able to officiate and score matches
• Players should have completed at least one season of badminton prior to the event (2026 season included)
• Schools are responsible for preparing players to meet this standard
• Badminton New Zealand is available to support schools with player development

Multi-Code Participation

Students may enter more than one sporting code, provided they meet permitted code crossover eligibility.

Please note: No timetable adjustments will be made to accommodate scheduling conflicts between sporting codes. It is the responsibility of each school and the parents/caregivers to ensure that students’ chosen events do not overlap.​​​​​​​

PROGRAMME

RULES

1. The tournament will run under Badminton New Zealand (BNZ) Sanctioned Event Rules.
2. BNZ registered players will be eligible to earn player points that apply towards national rankings as outlined by BNZ.
3. It is not compulsary to be a BNZ registered player.
4. Feather shuttlecocks will be provided for all matches.
5. The tournament controller reserves the right to shorten games to ensure an outcome by the end of play each day.
6. Players cannot be replaced once the draw has been set.
7. Players arriving late for matches will be disqualified at the tournament controller’s discretion.
8. The tournament controller reserves the right to carry competition to the next day if the situation demands it.
9. The tournament controller has the final say on all rules of play.
10. Fair play is expected, for example: If playing doubles both pairs are expected to be on court at all times and play the game fairly.
11. Doubles participants can only enter 1 of the following: Girls Doubles, Boys Doubles or Mixed Doubles. (Where schools have 1 boy and 1 girl playing singles they can then enter the Mixed Doubles).
12. The 2026 Zespri AIMS Games will apply BNZ’s ‘Let Them Play’ Campaign.
13. No coaches, teachers, parents, teammates or friends will be permitted on the back of court to coach for all Under 13 Sanctioned Events, including Zespri AIMS Games.  This ruling also applies during point break and between games.
14. Coaches can talk with their player/s before a match starts and after it concludes.

Development Within Schools

Schools seeking support to ensure their students have the necessary Badminton knowledge to compete at the Zespri AIMS Games are encouraged to contact Donna Trow at Badminton New Zealand. She will connect them with their local association for development assistance.

Donna Trow

People & Pathways Lead, Badminton New Zealand

Phone: 021 117 4852

Email: donna@badminton.org.nz

Umpires

All players are expected to umpire and line‑judge when requested by the Tournament Controller.

Singles Competition

• Players will be drawn into boxes using the latest BNZ Under 15 and Under 13 player points lists.
• If a player appears on both lists, the higher points value will be used.
• Points will be calculated using a tiered system:
  • 100% of Under 15 points
  • 75% of Under 13 points
• Players will compete against everyone within their box. All players will then progress into knockout draws across various divisions.
• The Tournament Organiser will determine the most suitable competition format based on entry numbers.
• The Tournament Organiser will also confirm the appropriate scoring format.

Doubles Competition

• Doubles partners must be from the same school.
• Players will be drawn into boxes using the latest BNZ Under 15 and Under 13 player points lists.
• If a player appears on both lists, the higher points value will be used.
• Points will be calculated using the same tiered system as Singles:
  • 100% of Under 15 points
  • 75% of Under 13 points
• Players will compete against everyone within their box, with all pairs progressing into knockout draws across different divisions.
• The Tournament Organiser will determine the competition format and scoring system based on entry numbers.

Teams Event

• Boys Division: Team placings will be determined by the best four combined singles results for each school.
• Girls Division: Team placings will be determined by the best four combined singles results for each school.
• In the event of a tie, the school with the highest‑placed individual competitor will be ranked higher.

MEDAL PRESENTATIONS

Medals for the top three placegetters in the singles, doubles, and teams events will be presented at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre (QEII) at the conclusion of each competition.

Singles and team medal presentations will be done at the conclusion of play on Wednesday 9th September.

Doubles medal presentations will be done at the conclusion of play on Friday 11th September.