London will host the World Table Tennis Championship exactly 100 years after it hosted the first in 1926. At the three-day ITTF 2023 Summit, which closed on Thursday in Bangkok, delegates at the ITTF Annual General Meeting voted in favor of London to host the annual event which in three years from now will involve the team competition.
For the year, which also has special symbolism due to its 100th anniversary, they chose, naturally, the return of the championship to the city where it all began in 1926. They selected London over Bangkok, which also submitted a nomination. This was the key message from the International Federation Summit, which included a series of enlightening discussions, various sessions and resolutions. The event was warmly attended by world table tennis players, athletes and friends of the sport.
The ITTF notes in its report that “the choice of the English capital feels like a full-circle moment, as the event returns to the same place where it was first hosted, completing a century-long journey of development for the sport. With London at the helm, the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals 2026 promises to be a great occasion, celebrating 100 years of table tennis.
It will be the first time that England will host the World Cup since 1997 and the first time since 1954 that the championship will be held in London. The ITTF and its events platform, World Table Tennis, are committed to working with Table Tennis England to use this momentum to bring even more events to English fans.
Adrian Christie, chief executive of Table Tennis England, said: “This is the most fantastic news we could wish for. The world table tennis family trusted Table Tennis England to deliver an unforgettable championship in London and I can promise that we will do just that. To bring the centenary World Championships back to the city where it all began is a huge honor and a huge boost for the sport in this country.”
At the Synod, another decision was made in relation to the assignment of major international matches. Bahrain and Romania were bidding to host the ITTF World Youth Championship in 2025. The ITTF Council was impressed by the quality of the bids presented by these two nations and was led to a remarkable double award decision. The 2025 ITTF World Youth Championships will be held in Romania and the corresponding event in 2026 in Bahrain.
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