How to Find and Join a Game

Find a Game (/find-a-game) is the public board for casual badminton games happening near you — both player-hosted pick-ups and open sessions published by clubs. You can browse without an account; you'll need to sign in to join, message the host, or save a search.

Getting There

Open /find-a-game from anywhere — no sign-in required to look. From inside the app you'll also find Find a Game in your /me quick actions and in the main navigation.

Browsing and Filtering

The filter bar at the top of the page narrows the list:

When — quick chips for Tonight, Tomorrow, This week, or pick a Custom date range
Postcode — type yours, or tap Use my location
Distance — slider from 5km up to 100km
Format — Singles, Doubles, Mixed, or Any
Level range — defaults to roughly your level if you're signed in, or All levels otherwise
Adults only — on by default for player-hosted games (player-hosted games are 18+ in v1); off for club-hosted sessions

On desktop you'll see a map and list side-by-side. On mobile, toggle between the map view and the list view with the button at the top of the page.

If nothing matches your filters, use Save this search in the top-right of the list — we'll email you when a matching game is posted. Saving a search needs you to be signed in.

What's on a Game Card

Each card on the list shows:

Venue and rough area
Date and time
Format (singles, doubles, etc.) and level range
Slots filled / total — how many players are in vs. how many they need
Host — first name, initial, and a reliability badge once they've hosted five or more completed games
Cost per head, if any
Join or Sign in to join button

Tap a card to see the full detail page.

Joining a Game

Open the game's detail page (/find-a-game/[id]).
Check the date, venue, level range, age policy, and cost.
Tap Join. If you aren't signed in yet, you'll go through login first and bounce back automatically.
You're in. The host gets a notification, and the game appears under Joined on your /me/games page.

A few rules to be aware of:

Player-hosted games are adults-only in v1 — under-18 accounts can't join games hosted by another player. Club-hosted sessions follow the club's own policy and may allow juniors.
One slot per player — you can't join the same game twice.
Full games close — once every slot is filled, the Join button becomes Game full. We'll add a waitlist UI in a later release.

Messaging the Host

Once you've joined, a message thread appears on the game page. Use it to coordinate kit, parking, or running late. Only joined participants and the host can see the thread; messages aren't visible on the public detail page.

For first-contact questions before joining, check the host's notes on the game card — most hosts answer the common questions there.

Adding the Game to Your Calendar

On the detail page (when you're a participant), tap Add to calendar to download a .ics file. It works with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, and any other calendar app that accepts iCal feeds. The event includes the venue, time, and a link back to the game page.

Leaving a Game

Plans change. To leave a game you've joined:

Go to /me/games and switch to the Joined tab.
Open the game.
Tap Leave game and confirm.

Your slot reopens automatically and the host is notified. Leaving doesn't affect your reliability score — only no-shows and last-minute drop-outs from hosts move that needle (see How to host a casual game).

Reporting a Game or Host

If something on Find a Game isn't right — abusive behaviour, misleading details, suspected fake listings, safeguarding concerns — use the small Report link in the footer of the game detail page. Reports go to our system admin queue and we aim to triage within 24 hours. You can report whether or not you've joined the game.

Tips for Getting a Game

Set up your play profile so we can match you on level. See Set up your play profile.
Save a search for your usual area and a level range you'd play at — you'll get a heads-up the moment something gets posted.
Look on a Sunday evening — most casual games for the week ahead are posted by then.
Be a reliable joiner — turn up if you said you would, message the host if anything changes. It builds the kind of community that makes pick-up games viable.