As I write this update, we are quickly approaching the milestone of 50 days to go to the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026!
As you can imagine, preparations are in the final stages and everything is gaining momentum. It will be a great experience for players, spectators, officials, coaches and volunteers.
More than 20,000 tickets have already been sold and the finals are almost sold out as we see demand continuing to rise, not only from the UK market but also from international fans. we are expecting a huge demand as we get closer to April 28th when the first balls will be hit at the Copper Box Arena.
We offer group bookings of 10 or more tickets, ideal if your club wants to get together and travel to watch – and the lead booker gets their ticket free. Click here for more information about group bookings.
The full schedule has been confirmed and you can see details on when all the matches will be played here.
We’re excited to deliver on our promise to make world-class table tennis accessible to families, with all tickets for Phase 1b at the Copper Box Arena costing just £5 for children and £15 for adults.
We are also looking forward to the England matches starting on May 2 at OVO Arena Wembley, when England men play China and women play Japan.
We know the Stage 1a matches will be tough against some of the best teams in the world, but our teams will play to win and then see what opportunities they get in the draw for the last 32 starting on May 4. The support from the home crowd makes a huge difference, so let’s all get behind England at Wembley.
Major events like the World Championships don’t happen without an army of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers and London 2026 is no different. Our volunteer program exceeded expectations and was three times oversubscribed. I would like to thank everyone who has given their time to be part of the team and wish you a happy and enjoyable championship.
We’ll soon be launching our range of exclusive merchandise for London 2026 and ITTF Centenary – as well as our event mascot Ping! The full range will be available for sale both online and in the halls. Keep an eye on our website for details.
We have also officially unveiled two ground-breaking corporate programmes, offering companies a unique opportunity to be part of sporting history while creating a lasting social legacy in the capital.
The Centenary Table program will see a limited number of special edition branded tables installed at high-profile, iconic London landmarks, and the Corporate Cup Competition is an employee engagement initiative designed to encourage friendly rivalry and team spirit in the workplace, with major organizations such as Google, WeWork, Monzo and Deliveroo already signed up. Click here for more information about these initiatives.
Mark Bates Ltd National Championships
The contenders selected for the England men’s and women’s squads will compete at the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships in Nottingham from March 20 to 22, so it’s going to be an incredible few months for the players and spectators!
Tickets for the Nationals are now on general sale, after first offering our members a priority window to purchase tickets, which is one of our annual membership benefits.
Mark Bates has been a great friend to our sport over the years, and I am pleased that his company continues to support the Nationals and increase the prize money on offer to the athletes, bringing real appreciation to their performances at this, our premier domestic event.
We’re curious to see how the new qualifying tournament, held on the first day of the competition, compares to the previous standalone event. I can report encouraging participation figures.
Honored to travel with the Prime Minister
Our major events strategy is proving to be opening doors and I was honored to be invited to be part of the delegation of business, cultural and sporting leaders who recently traveled to China and Japan with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Table Tennis England was one of only two sporting organizations represented, along with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
The visit opened up opportunities for further investment and media support and building new networks and relationships, and put our sport firmly on the radar of our country’s leaders.
I have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China Media Group, the world’s largest media conglomerate, building an exciting partnership around publicity, marketing, sponsorship and engagement – creating opportunities to grow the sport.
Special events on the World Path
As we reach the 50-day milestone, I’m looking forward to seeing thousands of people across the country taking part in Britain’s Greatest Rally on Monday, an event that has attracted extensive media attention and got clubs and organizations excited to get involved and make the day go off with a bang. I wish everyone who participates a nice day!
In terms of volunteers, I am pleased to say that the national nominees shortlisted for the Pride of Table Tennis Awards will all enjoy a great experience at the World Championships.
We invite them to a special reception, with the chance to see England play, and I am very pleased that in this way we can thank and honor a group of people who have given so much time and enthusiasm to our sport. Look forward to the winners being announced shortly after the World Championships.
Ping Hub shortlisted
We recently received the news that the Exchange Ilford Ping Hub has been shortlisted for the London Sports Awards 2026 in the Active Environment Award category.
Located in The Loft in The Exchange shopping centre, Ilford, the Ping Hub has transformed a city center space into a welcoming place for people to get active and was visited by ITTF President Petra Sörling during WTT Star Contender London last year.
Community projects like this will help us bring the sport to more people before, during and after the World Championships, supporting Ping for the People, Table Tennis England’s official London 2026 initiative, aimed at creating lasting social impact by making table tennis more easily accessible in everyday spaces.
Digital transformation latest
One of the big projects this year outside the playing field is our digital transformation. You may remember the announcement in the fall of our partnership with Cloudathlete, and I’m happy to report that this project is making very good progress.
I’m excited to see some of the early progress as we work to transform our members’ digital experience.
I’d also like to thank our members who joined our team of testers to put the system through its paces and ensure it makes your life easier – whether you’re joining or renewing your membership, booking a tournament, managing a club or keeping track of your stats.
Please note the date for the General Members Meeting
We recently announced the date of our 2026 AGM and we are going ahead with the midweek evening date, having moved to that format last year following feedback from company members.
This year’s meeting will take place on Wednesday, July 8 at 7:00 PM. The meeting will only address the formalities and legal requirements of the General Meeting, with the Annual Report section moved to a separate event, again following feedback from company members. This will be an in-person event that will take place on a date to be determined. Read more about this here.
It’s clear that 2026 is going to be the biggest year for English table tennis for a generation and I urge you all to join us.
Best wishes
Sally Lockyer
CEO of Table Tennis England
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