ETTU - European Table Tennis Union - News

[Milica Nikolic]

At the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, 14 European men’s teams secured their place in the knockout phase after the group stage and preliminary round.

Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Romania, Poland and Austria led the way, each topping their groups with flawless 3-0 records and setting the tone with confident, controlled performances.

Just behind them, a second wave kept Europe’s momentum going. Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Belgium all progressed with only one defeat, showing both consistency and composure when it mattered most.

The battle for the remaining spots added extra drama. Eight teams competed for four places in the main draw, and Serbia rose to the occasion with a 3-1 win over Mexico. Dimitrije LEVAJAC once again led from the front, while Uroš NINKOVIĆ’s comeback victory captured the fighting spirit that carried the team through.

Italy also made a strong statement. After finishing as runners-up in their group, they produced one of the most convincing performances of the day, sweeping Argentina 3-0. John OYEBODE set the pace, with Matteo MUTTI and Danilo FASO backing him up to secure progression in style.

For Greece, however, the journey came to an end after a narrow defeat to Moldova in a tightly contested final match.

Now, the focus shifts to the next phase, where the top seeds enter the stage and the level rises even further. European heavyweights are immediately tested: Germany open against Japan before facing France in an all-European clash, while Sweden meet Korea and England in Group 1. France will also take on Chinese Taipei as they look to build momentum.

The action continues on Sunday with another series of high-profile encounters, including France versus Japan and Germany against Chinese Taipei, while Sweden face China in one of the standout ties.

The post Europe sends 14 men’s teams into knockout stage as London challenge heats up first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

At the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, 11 European women’s teams secured places in the knockout phase following Stage One and the preliminary round.

Sweden, Serbia, Portugal, Wales, Italy and the Slovak Republic all advanced by topping their groups with perfect records. The Netherlands and Ukraine progressed as the best runners-up, while Poland, Croatia and Switzerland moved through to the decisive preliminary stage.

That preliminary round, however, brought added drama and European teams were right at the centre of it.

Croatia edged past Australia in a tense 3-2 encounter. Despite Liu Yangzi pushing hard for Australia with two wins, Croatia held their nerve, with Hana ARAPOVIC, Ivana MALOBABIC and Lea RAKOVAC delivering crucial victories, the latter sealing the tie in the deciding match.

Poland also came through a demanding five-match battle, defeating Thailand 3-2. Natalia BAJOR and Katarzyna WEGRZYN kept Poland in contention before Zuzanna WIELGOS stepped up in the final match to secure progression.

Not all European teams managed to advance. Hungary fell just short in a narrow 3-2 defeat to Switzerland, despite strong efforts from Rebeka NAGY and Nora DOHOCZKI, while Belgium’s campaign ended after a 3-0 loss to Kazakhstan.

Now, attention shifts to the next phase, where the top eight teams enter the stage and the level rises even further.

The schedule opens on Saturday morning with Chinese Taipei facing Korea, before a series of high-profile clashes later in the day. Germany meet England in an all-European encounter, while France take on Japan in another key tie. Korea continue their campaign against Romania, and China face Chinese Taipei in one of the standout matches.

The action continues on Sunday with more crucial fixtures. Japan play Germany, France face England in another European duel, and China meet Korea in a highly anticipated clash. The final matches of the stage will see Chinese Taipei take on Romania, with positions in the knockout bracket on the line.

The post Croatia and Poland shine in decisive ties in London first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Germany made a statement start at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, edging Japan 3-2 in a thrilling opening match.

What looked on paper like a clash worthy of the later rounds quickly lived up to expectations inside the OVO Arena Wembley. Germany against Japan a rematch of the Tokyo Olympic semi-final – delivered three hours of high-level table tennis, five singles matches and multiple momentum swings.

Dang QIU emerged as the standout performer for Germany. After a tight opening, the European singles champion took control against Sora MATSUSHIMA, winning 3-0 (12-10, 11-3, 11-3). He then produced another commanding display against world number three Tomokazu HARIMOTO, again winning in straight games 3-0 (11-9, 11-9, 11-10), showcasing aggressive, high-tempo play that repeatedly forced errors from his opponent.

Despite Qiu’s brilliance, Germany had to fight back. Benedikt DUDA pushed HARIMOTO to the limit but fell 2-3 (8-11, 11-10, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11), while Patrick FRANZISKA was narrowly beaten by Shunsuke TOGAMI 2-3 (11-5, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5, 6-11), allowing Japan to take a 2-1 lead.

Qiu’s second victory restored parity, leaving Duda to decide the tie. The German rose to the occasion, defeating MATSUSHIMA 3-1 (11-5, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7) to seal a dramatic 3-2 win.

“It feels like a big victory, even if it’s only the group stage,” said head coach Jörg ROßKOPF. “It was a great match, very intense. The guys played well against a top team that wants to win the title. Dang was outstanding, Benne finished it strongly, and Patrick also performed well. This gives us confidence.”

While the group phase is as much about positioning as survival, this result sends a clear message. Germany are ready. For Japan, the defeat is not decisive, but it could influence their path in the knockout stage, potentially leading to an earlier meeting with top favourites China.

Germany will next face France later in the evening, while their women’s team, after a 3-1 win over France, take on hosts England.

In another Group 1 encounter, China opened with a convincing 3-0 win over England. Lin SHIDONG defeated Tom JARVIS in straight games (11-9, 11-5, 11-8), Wang CHUQIN overcame Samuel WALKER 3-1 (11-9, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6), and Liang JINGKUN sealed the tie by edging Connor GREEN in five games (11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9).

Sweden also impressed with a strong 3-0 victory over Korea Republic. Truls MOREGARD recovered after dropping the opening game to beat AN Jaehyun (8-11, 11-5, 11-2, 12-10), Anton KALLBERG followed with a 3-1 win against JANG Woojin (4-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8), while Mattias KARLSSON sealed the result in a hard-fought five-game encounter against OH Junsung (11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 16-14, 11-2).

France, meanwhile, delivered a commanding 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei in Group 2. Alexis LEBRUN defeated KUO Guan-Hong (11-8, 11-8, 11-6), Felix LEBRUN overcame FENG Yi-Hsin (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5), and Simon GAUZY completed the sweep with a straight-games victory against HSU Hsien-Chia (11-8, 11-8, 11-7).

Germany off to winning start, take revenge against France

Germany opened their campaign at the Women’s Event at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 with a 3-1 win over France, securing a long-awaited revenge for their narrow quarterfinal defeat in Busan two years ago.

The tie did not begin as expected, with Ying HAN suffering a 1-3 loss to Prithika PAVADE. “I thought I would do better, but it turned out very differently… I played too passively at the important moments,” she admitted.

Germany responded immediately. Sabine WINTER levelled the score with a confident 3-0 win over Charlotte LUTZ, explaining: “I tried not to focus on the score, but on my game point by point. I knew we had a strong team and would get the three points.”

The turning point came with Nina MITTELHAM, who edged a high-quality five-game battle against Jia Nan Yuan. “After my last loss to her, I knew it wouldn’t be easy… but in the end I handled the close moments well,” she said, highlighting the team support that helped her push through.

HAN then returned to seal the victory, defeating LUTZ in four games. “When the others had won two points, I just had to take the third and finish it,” she added.

Head coach Tamara BOROS kept the bigger picture in mind: “Everything we play now is preparation for the most important part of the tournament. It’s good to win a close match it gives us confidence.”

Japan opened their Group 2 campaign with a dominant 3-0 win over England. Miwa HARIMOTO was in complete control against Tianer YU (11-0, 11-2, 11-7), Hina HAYATA followed with a 3-1 victory over Tin-Tin HO (12-10, 13-11, 6-11, 11-3), while Miyu NAGASAKI sealed the tie with a straight-games win against Jasmin WONG (11-8, 11-7, 12-10).

China also made a strong start, beating Romania 3-0. SUN Yingsha overcame Adina DIACONU (12-10, 11-5, 11-6), KUAI Man defeated Andreea DRAGOMAN (11-6, 11-6, 11-2), and WANG Yidi completed the sweep with a win over Elena ZAHARIA (11-6, 11-4, 11-6).

The post Germany battle through, Sweden and France cruise in London opener first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Sweden have made a confident and eye-catching start at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, remaining unbeaten after two matches and setting up a blockbuster clash with China.

On Saturday, the Swedish men delivered two strong performances, first sweeping past Korea 3-0 and then overcoming hosts England 3-1. It was a day that showed quality and hinted that this team is ready for something big.

The opening win against Korea was particularly impressive. Truls MOREGARDH grew into his match after a slow start, while Anton KALLBERG finally broke his losing streak against JANG Woojin with a composed performance. The highlight, however, came from Mattias KARLSSON, who saved five match points before turning the match around in dramatic fashion.

That momentum carried into the evening session against England. Despite dropping the opening match, Sweden stayed calm. KÄLLBERG levelled the tie after a tight opening set, MOREGARDH controlled his match against Connor Green, and KÄLLBERG returned to seal the 3-1 win with authority.

Sweden’s strong start now takes on even greater significance following one of the biggest shocks in recent table tennis history. China unbeaten at the World Championships for 26 years were defeated by Korea, completely changing the dynamics in Group 1.

Heading into the final round, Sweden sit on two wins, with both China and Korea on one. A victory over China would secure top spot in the group. And depending on the Korea–England result, even a single individual win against China could be enough for Sweden to finish first thanks to a superior match ratio.

The post Sweden set for China showdown after perfect start in London first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

France emerged as one of the standout teams on a dramatic day at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, securing two important victories and strengthening their position at the top of the group.

After overcoming Japan earlier in the day, the French side followed up with a 3-1 win against Germany. Despite trailing early, they recovered and turned the match around with authority.

“We’re extremely happy with these two wins today,” said Felix LEBRUN. “They were both tough teams to beat, so this puts us in a strong position going into the final day of the group. We’ll try to keep the momentum going against Japan.”

Germany had started strongly, with Benedikt DUDA giving his team the lead after a solid win over Simon GAUZY. However, the French response was immediate. Felix Lebrun and Alexis Lebrun delivered crucial wins, before Félix sealed the tie in straight sets in the fourth match.

Simon GAUZY highlighted the importance of the result: “We had already beaten Germany at the European Championships, but that doesn’t make this win any less significant, especially since they had beaten Japan earlier today. They have three top-class players, so we’re really pleased with how the team handled going 0-1 down and then turned it around. It was a true team performance from start to finish, which is very encouraging for what’s ahead.”

For Germany, the day ended with mixed emotions. After an impressive 3-2 victory over Japan, they were unable to replicate the same level later against a sharp and confident French side. Head coach Jorg ROSSKOPF remained pragmatic:

“Overall, it was a good day. We beat a great team in Japan and lost deservedly to France. But we believe we can beat them.”

Adding to the drama, one of the biggest surprises in recent table tennis history unfolded alongside, China suffered a 1-3 defeat to Korea, their first World Championship loss in 26 years. The result has completely reshaped the dynamics of the group and opened the door for multiple teams heading into the final round.

France now carry momentum and confidence into their next match, while Germany regroup for a decisive encounter against Chinese Taipei.

The post France lead the way as Germany stumble and China shock reshapes the group first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Germany’s women stayed on course at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026, securing a solid 3-0 win over hosts England to make it two victories from two in the group stage but the bigger test is still to come.

Germany didn’t have it all their own way early on. Annett KAUFMANN was pushed to five games by Tin-Tin HO in her first match since returning from injury.

“I was a bit surprised how well I started,” KAUFMANN admitted. “It was my first match after a long break, and mentally that wasn’t easy. I’m really happy I managed to win it in the end, it gives me confidence.”

From there, Germany took control. Nina MITTELHAM added the second point with a 3-1 win, before Yuan WAN sealed the tie with a composed 3-0 performance.

While Germany handled their task with clear record, Romania experienced both sides of the challenge in Group 1. They had earlier fallen to a dominant China, who left little room for resistance in a 3-0 win, but showed great character to bounce back with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Korea.

Bernadette SZOCS led the way with two wins, setting the tone for the team, while Elizabeta SAMARA delivered under pressure in the deciding match to seal the victory. Despite a narrow loss from Andreea DRAGOMAN in a five-game battle, Romania held their nerve to claim an important win and stay in contention.

The post Germany tick the box against England, Romania bounce back first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

Sweden showed they still have a few surprises up their sleeve. In one of the standout moments of the Championships in London, the men’s team pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory over China in Group 1, shaking the long-standing dominance of the reigning giants in the team event.

At the ITTF World Team Championships Finals, where China have ruled for decades, this defeat sends a strong message: the gap is closing.

The tie opened with China taking control. WANG Chuqin proved too strong for Anton KALLBERG, sealing a confident 3-0 win and giving the favourites an early lead. But Sweden responded immediately.

Elias RANEFUR delivered one of the standout performances of the match, overturning LIN Shidong in a five-set battle to level the score at 1-1.

Then came the turning point. Truls MOREGARD edged LIANG Jingkun in another dramatic five-set encounter, saving the decider 12-10 to put Sweden ahead 2-1.

China were not done yet. WANG Chuqin returned to the table and beat RANEFUR in straight games, tying the match at 2-2 and setting up a decisive fifth clash.

And that is where Sweden finished the job. Anton KALLBERG stepped up under pressure, defeating LIN Shidong 3-1 to seal a historic 3-2 victory.

This win is not just another group-stage result – it could reshape the entire competition.

China entered London as overwhelming favourites, having not beaten at the World Championships for 26 years, including a long streak of titles in the team event.

China – Sweden 2-3

• WANG Chuqin – Anton KALLBERG 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-6)
• LIN Shidong – Elias RANEFUR 2-3 (9-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11)
• LIANG Jingkun – Truls MOREGARD 2-3 (7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 10-12)
• WANG Chuqin – Elias RANEFUR 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-4)
• LIN Shidong – Anton KALLBERG 1-3 (10-12, 12-10, 8-11, 8-11)

The post Sweden shock China in five-match thriller first appeared on European table tennis union.

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[Milica Nikolic]

France produced one of the most thrilling comebacks of the ITTF World Team Championships Finals, overturning a two-match deficit to defeat Japan 3-2 in a gripping Group stage clash in London.

The tie could not have started worse for the Europeans. Japan took full control early on, with Tomokazu HARIMOTO easing past Alexis LEBRUN in straight games, before Sora MATSUSHIMA doubled the lead with a confident 3-1 win over Félix LEBRUN.

At 0-2 down, France were on the brink. Then came the turning point. Flavien COTON ignited the comeback with a remarkable five-set victory over Shunsuke TOGAMI, saving the match and shifting momentum back to the French side.

With belief restored, Félix LEBRUN delivered one of the standout performances of the evening, overpowering HARIMOTO in straight games to level the tie at 2-2.

Everything came down to the decisive match. And it was Alexis LEBRUN who held his nerve. After taking the first two games, he saw Matsushima fight back to force a decider, but the Frenchman stayed composed to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory and complete an unforgettable turnaround.

France – Japan 3-2

Alexis LEBRUN – Tomokazu HARIMOTO 0-3 (8-11, 7-11, 6-11)

Félix LEBRUN – Sora MATSUSHIMA 1-3 (9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 10-12)

Flavien COTON – Shunsuke TOGAMI 3-2 (6-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 14-12)

Félix LEBRUN – Tomokazu HARIMOTO 3-0 (11-9, 11-2, 11-4)

Alexis LEBRUN – Sora MATSUSHIMA 3-2 (11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9)

The post France edge Japan in dramatic five-match comeback first appeared on European table tennis union.

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