It’s time to compete in the 2026 Mark Bates Ltd National Championships! – Table tennis England

Entries for the 2026 Mark Bates Ltd National Championships are OPEN!

With the men’s and women’s singles qualifying rounds taking place on the first day of the event, it promises to be a spectacular competition as players battle to join the top ranks of the main draw – all while providing lavish entertainment for hundreds of spectators.

All participants must have more than 200 Senior ranking points, or be dummies with more than 200 points, as of the entry deadline of Wednesday, February 18 at 11:59 PM.

Entries are on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of the top 50 Senior Men and top 32 Senior Women, who have protected spaces – but must still arrive before the deadline.

Any eligible player can also compete in the doubles categories, with a maximum of 16 pairs in each category, with priority given to pairs with the highest combined ranking points.

The prize money for the Nationals has been increased by £2,000 thanks to our title sponsor, Mark Bates Ltd. The men’s and women’s singles champions will each win £1,800 and the total prize money will be £13,950.

Ticket details will be announced in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on our website, email communications and social media to see how you can reserve your place in the crowd!

How do the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships work?

• The qualifying phase is on Friday, March 20, 2026, with the main tournament on Saturday, March 21 and the final day on Sunday.
• The number of automatic invitations will be reduced from 16 to seven, plus one wildcard
• The seven automatic invitations will be based on January’s rankings
• Everyone participating in the qualifying phase will compete for the remaining 24 spots, with the main event starting from the last 32 spots.
• The mixed doubles competition starts on Friday and the men’s and women’s doubles on Saturday
• The mixed doubles final, previously held on Saturday, is now part of the final day
• There are no changes to the para categories, with six players from each para class (2-5 and 6-10) invited based on BPTT selections – invitations will be issued in January

The event documentation can be downloaded at the bottom of this page, or via the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships homepage.

The changes, approved by the Competition Committee, are designed to create an even more vibrant atmosphere, showcase a wider range of talent and give more players the opportunity to experience competing in front of spectators on the sport’s biggest national stage. For fans, it means more matches, more drama and more reasons to be part of the action.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest Nationals news, entry details and ticket information? Make sure you’re signed up using the form at the bottom of this page, check out our membership options and follow us on social media.

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