2026 ITTF World Championships: Aruna, women's team begin London quest
Quadri Aruna will lead Nigeria’s men’s team into action when the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships gets underway today at the Copper Box Arena in London. Team Nigeria
Quadri Aruna will lead Nigeria's men's team into action when the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships gets underway today at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Team Nigeria is among 12 African men's sides and 13 women's teams competing at the centenary edition of the tournament, which runs from April 28 to May 10 across two iconic London venues — a historic occasion marking 100 years since the championship was first staged in England in 1926.
Aruna, Nigeria's most decorated table tennis export, will anchor the men's campaign in what promises to be a stern group-stage test against Hong Kong, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia, with only the top two sides advancing to the knockout rounds.
The Nigerian women's team will also be in action, though the side has attracted scrutiny over its selection. Veterans Fatimo Bello and Ajoke Ojomu provide experience, while rising players Sukurat Aiyelabegan and Hope Udoaka carry hopes of a surprise result. Critics, however, argue that the team's composition was a missed opportunity, with several observers contending that younger talents deserved exposure at this level.
Nigeria's large diaspora in London is expected to provide vocal support throughout the preliminary-round fixtures at the Copper Box Arena, where teams must navigate Stage 1B group matches before securing berths in the Stage 2 knockout rounds.
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The ‘Super Eagles of table tennis’ will not be alone in flying the African flag. Egypt, the continent's dominant force, enter as the team to beat in both draws. Omar Assar captains the men's side in Group 11 against Thailand, Turkey, and Kazakhstan, while world No. 20 Hana Goda — Africa's highest-ranked female player — leads the women's team against South Africa, Algeria, and Belgium.
Elsewhere on the African front, Algeria's teenage duo Tania and Jade Morice make their senior championship debut, bringing youthful energy to a North African side that will also face Belgium in Group 3. Ghana's women open against Puerto Rico, led by world star Adriana Díaz, while Uganda and Rwanda face India and Ukraine respectively.
With 64 men's and 64 women's teams competing across 13 days, Africa's representatives are determined to make their mark on this landmark edition of the World Championships — and Nigeria, buoyed by Aruna's experience and a passionate home-away crowd, will be hoping to go deep into the knockouts.
