London has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships at the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Annual General Meeting in Thailand.
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The event will mark 100 years after the city staged the first World Championships in 1926 alongside the foundation of the ITTF.
The competition is set to take place at the Wembley Arena in May 2026 while practice facilities will be held at Wembley Stadium’s Great Hall.
It will be the first time that England has hosted the World Championships since 1997 and the first time since 1954 that the capital city has played host.
London was awarded the Championships over Bangkok following a vote from delegates during the ITTF’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Thailand’s capital.
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This is the most fantastic news we could have wished for,” said Table Tennis England chief executive Adrian Christy.
“The global table tennis family has put its faith in Table Tennis England to deliver a memorable Championships in London, and I can promise that is exactly what we will do.
“To bring the centenary World Championships back to the city where it all began is a huge honor and a massive boost for the sport in this country.
“The hard work begins now, and we can’t wait to get started on delivering the greatest table tennis show on earth, alongside the exciting impact projects we have planned.”
The AGM vote followed a final presentation to delegates by each bid city.
“We are thrilled with the tremendous success of the 2023 ITTF Summit,” said ITTF President Petra Sörling.
“The insightful discussions, transformative decisions, and captivating bids have left an indelible mark on the future of table tennis.”
The next edition of the Summit is set to take place in the South Korean city of Busan in 2024, following the 2024 World Table Tennis Team Championships, due to be held from February 16 to 25.
