After four days of table tennis action from the Copper Box Arena on the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, we now know the 24 men’s and 24 women’s teams who have qualified from Stage 1B to Stage 2 of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by CAN.
With Groups 1 and 2 playing in Stage 1A over the weekend of Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May where Table 1 will be broadcast live in the UK on the talkSPORT YouTube channel, Groups 3-14 battled it out in Stage 1B for a place in Stage 2 and the Round of 32.
Women’s Draw
Group 3 saw Egypt qualify for Stage 2 as group winners with three straight wins over (3-0), Algeria (3-0) and Belgium (3-0). Belgium, as group runners up but not as one of the highest performing second-placed teams went through to the Preliminary Round on Friday night to play-off for Stage 2.
Group 4 had Hong Kong China top the group as they defeated the Netherlands (3-1), Mexico (3-0) and Macau (3-0). As one of the highest performing second-placed teams, the Netherlands join Hong Kong China in Stage 2 thanks to their 3-0 wins over Macau and Mexico.
Group 5s winners were Brazil who won 3-1 against Kazakhstan, 3-1 against Czechia and 3-0 against Mongolia. Kazakhstan qualifying for the Preliminary Round on Friday night.
The top two teams in Group 6 both qualified, India as group winners and Ukraine as runners up. It was a tight affair when the pair met with India coming out on top 3-2, Ghorpade overcoming Bilenko 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 in the fifth match.
It was a similar story in Group 7 where both Sweden and Canada qualify for Stage 2. The Swedes defeated the Canadian team 3-2 when they met, Bergstrom beating Morin 3-0 in the decider.
Group 8 winners Serbia went straight through to Stage 2, recording a 3-0 win over Benin, a 3-2 win over Thailand, and 3-1 win over Slovenia. It was the Thai team who finished second but had to settle for a Preliminary Round match on Friday night.
Group 9 saw DPR Korea reach Stage 2 as group winners, with Poland having to settle for a place in the Preliminary Round play-off. DPR Korea claimed 3-0 wins over Poland, Congo Democratic and Spain, with Poland winning 3-0 against Congo Democratic and 3-1 against Spain.
In Group 10, both Portugal and Luxembourg qualified as group winners and runners-up respectively. When the pair met, Portugal defeated Luxembourg 3-0.
Group 11 saw Wales beat Australia 3-2 in their final match to secure a place in Stage 2 and leaving the Australian team in the Preliminary Round. Having been beaten by Yangzi Liu 3-0 in the opening match of the tie, Charlotte Carey overcame Constantina Psihogios 3-1 in the final match.
The USA and Malaysia qualified from Group 12 with the only individual match that the American team lost was in their 3-1 win over Malaysia. Those three matches were also the only ones that the Malaysian’s conceded.
Group 13s winners Italy proceeded into Stage 2 without dropping a match as they defeated Argentina, Croatia and Turkiye 3-0. Croatia progressed to the Preliminary Rounds thanks to 3-0 wins over Argentina and a 3-2 victory against Turkiye.
Both the winners (Austria) and runners up (Puerto Rico) in Group 14 qualified directly to Stage 2. Austria defeated Puerto Rico 3-1 when they met but a 3-0 over Angola took them through in second place.
Hungary had to settle for second place and the Preliminary Round in Group 15 as Singapore came out top of the group thanks to 3-0 wins over Hungary Greece.
The final group, Group 16, had Slovak Republic as group winners through to Stage 2 and Switzerland going into the Preliminary Round. The Slovak team defeating the Swiss team 3-0 (3-1, 3-1, 3-1).
Qualifying from the Preliminary Round following victories on Friday night were: Kazakhstan (def. Belgium 3-0), Switzerland (def. Hungary 3-2), Poland (def. Thailand 3-2) and Croatia (def. Australia 3-2).
The full list of nations for Stage 2 of the women’s championships from Stage 1B are: Egypt, Hong Kong China, the Netherlands, Brazil, India, Ukraine, Sweden, Canada, Serbia, Korea DPR, Portugal, Luxembourg, Wales, USA, Malaysia, Italy, Austria, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Poland and Croatia.
Men’s Draw
Group 3 winners were Denmark, and they proceeded through to Stage 2, whilst runners-up Mexico faced a Friday night Preliminary match having been defeated by the Danes 3-0 (3-1, 3-1, 3-0).
In Group 4, Brazil as group winners and Hungary as group runners-up qualify for Stage 2. Brazil beat the Hungarian team 3-2, with Leonardo Iizuka victorious over David Szantosi 3-2 (8-11, 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8) in the deciding match.
The top two in Group 5 also both went through where Slovenia join group winners Spain in Stage 2. When the pair met, the Spaniards came out on top with a 3-1 win. Those three matches being the only ones that the Slovenian team dropped.
Winners of Group 6, Portugal, advanced to Stage 2 whilst Greece qualified for the Preliminary Round on Friday night. Portugal had three straight 3-0 wins over New Caledonia, Algeria and Greece, who themselves had a 3-0 win over New Caledonia and a 3-1 win over Algeria.
Group 7s top two teams, India and Slovak Republic qualify for Monday’s Stage 2 Round of 32 as winners and runners-up respectively. Despite winning the first match when the two met 3-2, back-to-back 3-0 wins for Thakkar and Shah saw India claim the tie 3-2.
Croatia topped Group 8 ahead of Serbia who they beat 3-0, a scoreline they also defeated Qatar by. The only match they didn’t win was in their 3-1 against Luxembourg when Mael Van Dessel beat Frane Kojic 3-1.
Group 9 winners Romania will go into Stage 2 with a pair of 3-0 wins over Benin and Argentina. The only match that went against them was in their 3-1 win against Peru. Argentina go through to the Preliminary Round as runners-up.
Korea DPR and Australia both qualify from Group 10 through to Stage 2. Korea DPR made it through with three straight 3-0 wins, whilst Australia recorded 3-0 wins of their own against New Zealand and Morocco.
In Group 11, Kazakhstan topped the group from which Egypt qualify for the Preliminary Round. The Kazakh team defeated the Egyptians 3-2 in a match that ebbed and flowed. The Kazakh’s going 2-0 up before Egypt pegged them back at 2-2. Gerassimenko overcame Elbeiali 3-1 in the decider.
The winners of Group 12, Poland, progress into Stage 2 at the expense of Moldova who went into the Preliminary Round. A 3-2 victory for the Poles made the difference with those two the only matches that they dropped.
In Group 13, Austria topped the group as they only recorded 3-0 scorelines. In losing 3-0 to the group winners and winning 3-1 against Malaysia, Italy headed into Friday’s Preliminary Round as runners-up.
Singapore and USA both headed through to Stage 2 from Group 14. The only match not to finish 3-0 that featured either team was when they faced each other and Singapore came out on top 3-2. Josh Chua winning the decider 3-0 (10-12, 4-11, 8-11) against Nandan Naresh.
Hong Kong China top Group 15 and go into Stage 2, with Nigeria second heading into the Preliminary Round. It was straight 3-0 wins for Hong Kong China, whilst Nigeria overcame Saudi Arabia 3-2 and South Africa 3-0.
Group 16 saw Canada and Belgium both make their way into Stage 2 and the Round of 32 on Monday. Every match in the group finished 3-0, including when the two nations met each other.
Qualifying from the Preliminary Round following victories on Friday night were Moldova (def. Greece 3-2), Italy (def. Argentina 3-0), Egypt (def. Nigeria 3-0) and Serbia (def. Mexico 3-1).
The full list of nations for Stage 2 of the men’s championships from Stage 1B are: Denmark, Brazil, Hungary, Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, India, Slovak Republic, Croatia, Romania, Korea DPR, Australia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Austria, Singapore, Hong Kong China, Canada, Belgium, Moldova, Italy, Egypt and Serbia.