The World Table Tennis Championships first took place in 1926 in London, England when seven mens teams took part in the competition.
Gradually the number of teams (and individuals) playing in the World Championships increased to such a large number that, since the year 2000, the Championship has been split into two separate competitions.
Team events are now held in even numbered years, whilst individual events (singles and doubles) are held in odd numbered years.
So 2026 is the year for the team events to be contested, and London, England will stage the event from 28 April-10 May 2026.
Team Event Cups
by courtesy of the ITTF
The World Table Tennis Championships 2026 events are…
The Swaythling Cup was donated in 1926 by Lady Baroness Swaythling, mother of
Ivor Montagu, whilst the Corbillon Cup was donated in 1933 by Marcel Corbillon, President of the French TTA, for the first Women’s Team event at the 1934 World Championships.
However, the original Corbillon Cup disappeared just after World War Two, so the German Table Tennis Federation paid for an exact replica in 1949 (the German Women’s team won the Cup in the 1939 World Championships – the last time it was played before the outbreak of World War Two).
The following equipment is being used at the 2026 World Team Championships…
- Tables, Net and Post – DHS
- Balls – Butterfly R40+ 3 star (white)
- Flooring – TIBHAR GRIP Europe
DHS table
The 2026 edition of the World Team Championships has been expanded to 64 teams in both the men’s and women’s events – up from 40 teams in recent championships.
This increase was agreed because table tennis is expanding globally and therefore it gives more National Associations the opportunity to compete in the sport’s most prestigious competition.
So how will it work?
Well, to accomodate these extra teams, a new system has been agreed.
Preliminary Round
First…
The top seven ranked teams in the World Ranking List, plus the host team (England), are drawn into two groups of four.
Each team plays the other three teams in their group.
All eight teams will advance to the main draw but these matches will determine the seedings for the main draw.
Secondly…
The remaining 56 teams are drawn into 14 groups of four, but only the best performers will advance to the main draw.
All 14 group winners progress directly, plus the six best second-placed teams (based on their match records).
The remaining eight second-placed teams face a preliminary knockout round (four matches) with only the four winners advancing to the 32-team main draw.
Main Draw…
The main draw will be played as a knockout competition.
Teams that played against each other in the groups will not meet again in the first round of the Main Draw.
Here is a diagram showing the details…
The 64 teams who qualified for the men’s and women’s events are as follows…
MEN
Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada,
Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, England,
Fiji Islands, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong China, Hungary, India, Iran, Japan,
Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria,
North Korea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tahiti, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, United States, Uzbekistan.
^ Top of page ^
WOMEN
Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Congo, Cook Islands, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia,
Ecuador, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hong Kong China, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg,
Macao China, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico,
Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Republic, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Tahiti, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Wales.