China men have an early chance for revenge over Korea Republic, Germany and Japan renew their recent rivalry and a match that was first played in 1937 are some of the highlights of quarter-finals at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by ACN.
OVO Arena Wembley is down to a one-table set-up for the matches, which will be played over two days and which will see the victors guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Statistician Matt Solt takes a look at previous meetings.
Men’s Team
Germany vs Japan (12.30pm Thurs)
One of the most played matches in recent history and a repeat of a clash in stage 1a which Germany won 3-2 thanks to a double from Qiu Dang and Benedikt Duda’s victory over Sora Matsushima in the deciding match.
Germany have an exceptional recent record, having defeated Japan 3-1 in the semi-finals in both 2012 and 2014, and by the same score in the 2010 group stage.
Japan’s last victory was 3-1 in the 2008 group stage.
Sweden vs Chinese Taipei (7.30pm Thurs)
Chinese Taipei ended Sweden’s hopes two years ago in Busan, winning 3-2 in the Round of 16. That was a reverse of the result at the same stage in 2018, while the previous meeting was a 3-1 victory for the Asian nation in the 2014 group stage.
Korea Republic vs China (12.30pm Fri)
Korea Republic sensationally ended China’s 26-year unbeaten record in Stage 1a, and the two meet again with a medal at stake. Can Oh Junsung and An Jaehyun repeat their heroics from the weekend, when they won two and one respectively to send shockwaves through the table tennis world?
They met in the semi-finals two years ago and in 2016, both resulting in 3-0 scorelines to China – in 2016, England were alongside Korea Republic on the podium having lost the other semi-final to Japan.
Brazil vs France (7.30pm Fri)
France dominate this fixture but there is no recent form guide, having not met since 2014 in the bracket for positions 13-20, a 3-1 win for Les Bleus. France also won in the 2006 group stage – 3-2 on that occasion – and way back in 1989, a 5-3 victory in the 17th-20th bracket. But with Hugo Calderano to draw on, anything is possible – as England discovered last night.
Women’s Team
China vs Korea Republic (10am Thurs)
Another match between teams who met in Stage 1a, which resulted in a 3-0 win for China, as Sun Yingsha, Wang Yidi and Kuai Man all won without dropping a game.
Their previous meeting was two years ago in Busan, when China won by the same score in the semi-finals – but that was their first meeting since 2004 – a 3-1 win for China in the group stage.
Germany vs Hong Kong China (5pm Thurs)
Germany won 3-2 in the 2022 quarter-finals on their way to securing a bronze medal – the first time they had beaten these opponents in a while, having lost 3-1 in 2018 and 2014, both in the group stage.
Ukraine vs Japan (10am Fri)
These two met twice in 2018, first in the group stage and then in the quarter-finals, and both times it was a 3-0 win for Japan, who went on to win the silver medal.
France v Romania (5pm Fri)
The history of this clash dates all the way back to 1937 but they have only met twice this century, Romania winning 3-2 in Stage 1 in 2000 and 3-1 in the pay-off for positions 17-18 in 2006. This first meeting in 20 years could be a tough one to call.