A remarkable week of table tennis has come to an end, with continental champions on four continents crowned as the sport’s best teams battled for regional supremacy and qualification for London 2026.
From Bhubaneswar to Zadar, Tunis to Rock Hill, the world’s elite have delivered unforgettable performances, dramatic setbacks and historic triumphs that will resonate long after the final points have been played.
Asia: China’s dominant double
Champions: China (men and women)
China won both titles at the 28th ITTF-ATTU Asian Table Tennis Team Championships in Bhubaneswar, India, delivering a masterclass of dominance with identical 3-0 wins in Wednesday’s final.
The reigning world champions successfully defended their men’s crown against Hong Kong, China. World number two Lin Shidong opened the match with a straight-sets victory over Wong Chun Ting, before top-ranked Wang Chuqin battled past Chan Baldwin in four games. Liang Jingkun sealed the victory and maintained China’s stranglehold on Asian table tennis.
In the women’s final, China impressively dethroned defending champion Japan. Wang Manyu recovered from dropping the first game to beat Honoka Hashimoto, world number one Sun Yingsha got past Miwa Harimoto in straight sets and Kuai Man completed the sweep with a hard-fought victory over Hina Hayata.
The championships marked the return of Asia’s premier team event to India after a 16-year hiatus, with the Kalinga Stadium Athletics Center in Odisha hosting the first Asian-level table tennis championship. All 16 qualifying places by gender for London 2026 had been determined, with Japan’s strong performance at the tournament reaffirming their status as Asia’s second power.
Europe: France men’s team ends 27-year wait as German women make history
Champions: France (men), Germany (women)
France claimed their first European men’s team title since 1998 with a flawless 3-0 win over Romania in Zadar, Croatia. In a dazzling display of power and precision, Olympic bronze medalists Alexis Lebrun, Felix Lebrun and Simon Gauzy edged past Romania’s Iulian Chirita, Eduard Ionescu and Ovidiu Ionescu.
“It was just a perfect match! We enjoyed every moment of this championship, and winning the gold is the perfect ending,” said Felix Lebrun. His brother Alexis added: “It’s crazy, European champions! It’s unbelievable. We have such a great team.”
For Romania, reaching the men’s final was a historic achievement. They surpassed the previous record of three bronze medals and underlined the emergence of a new generation of Romanian talent.
The German women wrote history with their tenth European title and the third consecutive title. They defeated Romania 3-0, equaling the Dutch record of four titles in a row (2008-2011). The triumph was based on groundbreaking performance and experienced calm.
Nineteen-year-old Annett Kaufmann shocked the final, stunning world number two, Bernadette Szocs, in the opening match. Having never won a match against the Romanian star in two previous encounters, Kaufmann seized her moment and recovered from losing the second game to dominate the decider 11-5.
“I wasn’t confident going into the match because of our head-to-head record,” Kaufmann admitted. “But I told myself, I have nothing to lose.”
Sabine Winter showed growing composure against 2015 European champion Elizabeta Samara, winning the first two matches before sealing victory 3-1. Nina Mittelham, returning from illness, completed the championship with a 3-1 win over Andreea Dragoman.
Germany completed the tournament without losing a single individual match, extending their remarkable unbeaten run to 17 consecutive team wins and 12 consecutive 3–0 wins. All 16 teams per gender have qualified for London 2026, with defending champions Sweden and powerhouses Germany and Portugal among the men’s qualifiers.
Africa: Egypt’s continental sweep
Champions: Egypt (men and women)
Egypt dominated the 2025 ITTF African Championships in Tunis, claiming both team titles to add to their singles crowns won earlier this week, cementing their status as the continent’s premier table tennis nation.
In the men’s final, Egypt defeated Algeria 3-1. Youssef Abdelaziz opened with an impressive straight-set win over Maiheidine Bella before Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa leveled the tie. Four-time African champion Omar Assar restored Egypt’s lead with a dominant performance against Milhane Jellouli, and Abdelaziz returned to seal the championship with a win over Bouloussa.
The women’s team delivered an even more impressive performance, beating Uganda 3-0. Dina Meshref, Hana Goda and Mariam Alhodaby dismantled the Ugandan challenge in straight sets to complete Egypt’s perfect week in Tunis.
Earlier in the championships, Assar had claimed the men’s singles title with a thrilling 4-3 victory over compatriot Abdelaziz in a seven-match final, while Goda claimed the women’s singles title with a 4-0 victory over Meshref. Eight teams per gender have qualified for London 2026, including Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria and South Africa joining Egypt.
America: Puerto Rico and Argentina claim historic firsts
Champions: Puerto Rico (women), Argentina (men)
The ITTF Pan American Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina delivered dramatic finals as both titles were claimed in memorable fashion, marking historic firsts for the host event in the United States.
Puerto Rico’s women, led by singles champion Adriana Diaz, defeated the United States 3-1 in a thrilling final. Diaz claimed two crucial points, opening with a win over Sally Moyland before returning to beat Lily Zhang in a five-match decider. Brianna Burgos sealed Puerto Rico’s victory with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Jessica Reyes Lai, sparking celebrations for the Caribbean country.
Argentina’s men staged a remarkable comeback to beat the United States 3-2 in a nail-biting final. Kanak Jha gave the hosts the lead with a five-match win over Santiago Lorenzo, but Horacio Cifuentes leveled with a straight sets victory over Sid Naresh. Francisco Sanchi then defeated Jishan Liang in five games to put Argentina ahead. Jha fought back to beat Cifuentes and force a decider, but Lorenzo held his nerve to claim the fifth match 3–0, sealing Argentina’s continental crown.
Earlier this week, Brazil’s Hugo Calderano had claimed the men’s singles title with a 4-1 win over Jha, while Diaz claimed the women’s singles title with an impressive 4-0 win over Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi. Eight teams per gender secured qualification for London 2026, with Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Guatemala joining the champions.
The road to London
With the Continental Championships completed, 48 teams per gender have secured their place at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 through continental qualification. The remaining places per gender will be determined through the November 2025 ITTF World Team Rankings.
[Check out the full list of qualified teams here]
London will host the ITTF World Championships from April 28 to May 10, 2026, marking 100 years since both the event and the ITTF were founded in the British capital. As the centenary approaches, the stage is set for a historic gathering of the world’s best teams in the city where it all began.
All qualifying spots are subject to confirmation by the respective member associations.
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