Table tennis: Team competition in 2026 World Championships expands to 64 teams per gender

Beijing, Aug 5 (IANS) The 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in London will feature 64 teams each in the men's and women's events, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced here on Tuesday.

The expanded format marks the centenary of both the first table tennis world championships, held in London in 1926, and the founding of the ITTF the same year. The tournament will grow from the 40-team format used in recent editions.

According to the schedule, the Copper Box Arena will stage the opening rounds from April 28 to May 1, 2026. Competition will then move to Wembley Arena from May 2 to 10, reports Xinhua.

The 64 teams in each event will be drawn into 16 groups of four each. Each group will play a round robin, with three matches per team.

Among the 16 groups are two elite ones, which comprise the top seven ranked teams and the host nation. All eight teams will advance to the 32-team knock-out stage automatically, with results only used to determine seedings for the elimination stage.

Top finishers from the other groups will progress directly, along with six of the best second-placed teams based on match records.

The remaining eight second-placed teams will contest a preliminary knockout round, with the four winners completing the 32-team list.

The women's team final is scheduled for May 9, followed by the men's team final on May 10.

--IANS

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